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WILD LIFE IN THE 
ROCKY MOUNTAINS 



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OUTING ADVENTURE LIBRARY 

WILD LIFE IN THE 
ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

By GEORGE FREDERICK RUXTON 

A " 

A True Tale of Rough Adventure 
in the Days of the Mexican War 

EDITED BY 

HORACE KEPHART 




NEW YORK 
OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY 

MCMXVI 



■f\926- 



Copyright 1916 by 
OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY 



All rights reserved. 



4 1 



0± 



APR 18 1916 

^CI.A427749 



INTRODUCTION 

The present volume is a continuation of 
"Adventures in Mexico," by Lieutenant Ruxton 
which precedes it in this Library of Adventure. 

Here we take up the story of our author's 
journey northward from Chihuahua to the 
Rocky Mountains. Passing through treeless 
deserts, where he and his animals suffered much 
from lack of water, he arrived at Valverde, and 
there met the advanced post of the American 
army, which had invaded Mexico after the 
declaration of war in May of this year, 1846. 
At this place Ruxton's servants left him, and 
thenceforth he had to shift for himself. 

In December he reached Santa Fe. Shortly 
before New Year's day, after a hard journey, 
in which he froze one of his feet, and was mis- 
treated by the New Mexicans, he crossed the 
United States boundary line. Winter travel 
in the mountains was extremely trying; but he 
pushed on, and, at the Arkansas River, fell in 
with typical "mountain men," as the hunters 
and trappers of the Far West were called. 
Taking a course up the Fontaine-qui-bouille, he 
finally gained the famous hunting ground of the 
Bayou Salado, now known as South Park 
(Colorado). In this sportsman's paradise he 
remained for the rest of the winter. 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION 

Early in May, 1847, he started, in company 
of a wagon-train, for Missouri. From Chou- 
teau's Island to Coon Creek the caravan passed, 
day by day, through countless herds of buffalo, 
which covered the plains in such incredible 
numbers that in one place, over a space thirty 
miles long by sixteen wide, the spectators could 
not see anywhere an unoccupied patch of grass 
ten yards square. 

At Fort Leavenworth the traveler at last 
fell in with civilized society, but was mistaken 
for an Indian chief, owing to his bronzed visage 
and barbaric dress of fringed buckskins. Here 
he took passage on a steamboat down the 
Missouri River to St. Louis. By boat and 
stage-coach and rail he then proceeded, via 
Chicago and Detroit, to New York, and then 
set sail for England, where he arrived in August, 
1847, after one of the most venturesome and 
difficult tours that had been made within his 
generation. 

He tarried in England just long enough 
to see his books through the press, and 
then set forth once more for wildest America. 
Alas! it was not granted that he should camp 
again in his beloved Bayou Salado. At St. 
Louis he was stricken with a mortal ailment. 
He died in the old Planter's House, in Sep- 
tember, 1848, at the age of twenty-eight, and 
was buried near the Father of Waters. 



INTRODUCTION 9 

A sketch of the author's life was published 
in the first volume of this Library (his *'In the 
Old West"). 

Ruxton was one of those children of nature 
of whom Parkman wrote: — 

** Thus to look back with a fond longing to in- 
hospitable deserts, where man, beasts, and 
Nature herself, seem arrayed in arms, and where 
ease, security, and all that civilization reckons 
among the goods of life, are alike cut off, may 
appear to argue some strange perversity or 
moral malformation. Yet such has been the 
experience of many a sound and healthful 
mind. 

"To him who has once tasted the reckless 
independence, the haughty self-reliance, the 
sense of irresponsible freedom; which the forest 
life engenders, civilization thenceforth seems 
flat and stale. Its pleasures are insipid, its 
pursuits wearisome, its conventionalities, duties, 
and mutual dependence alike tedious and dis- 
gusting. The entrapped wanderer grows fierce 
and restless, and pants for breathing-room. 
His path, it is true, was choked with difficulties, 
but his body and soul were hardened to meet 
them; it was beset with dangers, but these were 
the very spice of his life, gladdening his heart 
with exulting self-confidence, and sending the 
blood through his veins with a livelier current. 
The wilderness, rough, harsh, and inexorable, 



10 INTRODUCTION 

has charms more potent in their seductive 
influence than all the lures of luxury and sloth; 
and often he upon whom it has cast its magic 
finds no heart to dissolve the spell, and remains 
a wanderer and an Ishmaelite to the hour of his 
death." 

Ruxton's short life was so crowded with 
activities in the field that he had little time for 
composition or revision, and his writings have 
needed careful editing. This has been given 
to them in the Outing Adventure Library, but 
it has been limited to translations, footnotes, 
and corrections of errors. 

Horace Kephart. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAOB 

I Out of Old Mexico 13 

II The Journey of the Dead ... 24 

III Travelling with the Engineers . 51 

IV Land of the Pueblos '61 

V Mexican Gratitude 79 

VI Into the Mountains 98 

VII Blizzard in South Park . . .119 

VIII The Beaver and His Trapper . . 146 

IX Among the Springs 170 

X Passing of the Buffalo . . . .192 

XI Big Game of the Mountains . . 198 

XII Birds of Passage at Bent's Fort . .221 

XIII Heading for Home 231 

XIV A Buffalo Landscape 256 

XV At the End of the Trail . . . 269 

XVI The Mexican War 285 

XVII Men and Manners 295 



WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY 
MOUNTAINS 

CHAPTER I 

Out of Old Mexico 

ON the 10th of November [1846] I left 
Chihuahua, bound for the capital of 
New Mexico. Passing the Rancho del 
Sacramento, where a few months after the 
Missourians slaughtered a host of Mexicans, we 
entered a large plain well covered with grass, 
on which were immense flocks of sheep. A 
coyote lazily crossed the road, and, stopping 
within a few yards, sat down upon its haunches, 
and coolly regarded us as we passed. Panchito 
had had a four days' rest, and was in fine con- 
dition and spirits, and I determined to try the 
mettle of the wolf; the level plain, with its 
springy turf, offering a fine field for a course. 

Cantering gently at first, the coyote allowed 
me to approach within a hundred yards before 
he loped lazily away; but finding I was on his 
traces, he looked round, and, gathering himself 
up, bowled away at full speed. Then I gave 
Panchito the spur, and, answering it with a 

bound, we were soon at the stern of the wolf. 

13 



14 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Then, for the first time, the animal saw we were 
in earnest, and, with a sweep of his bushy tail, 
pushed for his life across the plain. 

At the distance of two or three miles a rocky 
ridge was in sight, where he evidently thought 
to secure a retreat, but Panchito bounded along 
like the wind itself, and soon proved to the wolf 
that his race was run. After trying in vain to 
double, he made one desperate rush, upon which, 
lifting Panchito with rein and leg, came up 
and passed the panting beast, when, seeing that 
escape was impossible, he lay down, and with 
sullen and cowardly resignation, curled up for 
the expected blow, as, pistol in hand, I reined 
up Panchito at his side. However, I was merci- 
ful, and allowed the animal to escape. 

At ten at night I arrived at the hacienda of 
El Sauz, belonging to the Governor of Chihua- 
hua, Don Angel Trias. It was enclosed with a 
high wall, as a protection from the Indians, who, 
a short time before, had destroyed the cattle of 
the hacienda, filling a well in the middle of the 
corral with the carcases of slaughtered sheep 
and oxen. It was still bricked up. 

The next day we proceeded to another haci- 
enda, likewise called after the willows, Los 
Sauzillos. Passing a large plain, in the midst 
of which stood a lone poplar, wolves were con- 
tinually crossing the road, both the coyote and 
the large grey variety. I was this day mounted 



OUT OF OLD MEXICO 15 

upon the alazan [roan] which I had purchased 
at Guajoquilla. We were within sight of our 
halting-place for the night, when the horse, 
which had carried me all day without my 
having had recourse to whip or spur, suddenly 
began to flag, and I noticed that a profuse 
perspiration had broken out on its ears and neck. 
I instantly dismounted, and perceived a quiver- 
ing in the flank and a swelling of the belly. 
Before I could remove the saddle the poor 
beast fell down, and, although I opened a vein 
and made every attempt to relieve it, it once 
more rose to its legs, and, spinning round in the 
greatest apparent agony, fell dead to the ground. 

The cause of its death was, that my servant, 
contrary to my orders, had given the animals 
young corn the night before, which food is 
often fatal to horses not accustomed to feed on 
grain. 

This rancho is situated on the margin of a 
lake of brackish water, and we found the people 
actual prisoners within its walls, the gates 
being closed, and a man stationed on the azotea 
with a large wall-piece, looking out for Indians. 
At night a large fire was kindled on the roof, the 
blaze of which illuminated the country far and 
near. Not a soul would venture after sunset 
outside the gate, which the majordomo, a 
Gachupin, refused to open to allow my servant 
to procure some wood for a fire to cook my 



1 6 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

supper, and we had to content ourselves with 
one of corncobs, which lay scattered about the 
corral. 

On the 12th, passing Encinillas, a large 
hacienda belonging to Don Angel Trias, we 
encamped on the banks of an arroyo, running 
through the middle of a plain, walled by sierras, 
where the Apaches had several villages. This 
being very dangerous ground, we put out the 
fire at sunset, and took all precautions against 
surprise. The animals fared badly, the grass 
being thin and burned up by the sun, and what 
little there was being of bad quality. 

The next day we reached the small village 
of El Carmen, and, camping by a little thread 
of a rivulet outside of the town, were surrounded 
by all the loafers of the village. The night was 
very cold, and our fire, the fuel for which we 
purchased, was completely surrounded by these 
idle vagabonds. At last, my temper being 
frozen out of me, I went up to the fire, and said, 
"Senores, allow me to present you with three 
rials, which will enable you to purchase wood 
for two fires; this fire I will be obliged to you 
if you will allow myself and fellow-travellers to 
warm ourselves by, as we are very cold; and also, 
with your kind permission, wish to cook our 
suppers by it." This was enough for them: a 
Mexican, like a Spaniard, is very sensitive, and 
the hint went through them. They immediate- 



OUT OF OLD MEXICO 17 

ly dispersed, and I saw no more of them the 
remainder of the evening. 

Near El Carmen is a pretty little stream, 
fringed with alamos, which runs through a 
wild and broken country of sierras. The plains, 
generally about ten to twenty miles in length, 
are divided from each other by an elevated 
ridge, but there is no perceptible difference in 
the elevation of them from Chihuahua to El 
Paso, The road is level excepting in crossing 
these ridges, and hard everywhere except on the 
marshy plain of Encinillas, which is often in- 
undated. This lake has no outlet, and is fed 
by numerous small streams from the sierras; its 
length is ten miles, by three in breadth. The 
marshy ground around the lake is covered with 
an alkaline efflorescence called tezquite, a 
substance of considerable value. The water, 
impregnated with salts, is brackish and un- 
pleasant to the taste, but in the rainy season 
loses its disagreeable properties. 

On the 14th we travelled sixty miles, and 
camped on a bare plain without wood or water, 
the night being so dark that we were unable to 
reach Carrizal, although it was but a few miles 
distant from our encampment. The next 
morning we reached the village, where I stopped 
the whole day, during an extraordinary hurri- 
cane of wind, which rendered travelling im- 
possible. We had been on short commons for 



1 8 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

two days, as the hungry escort had devoured 
my provisions, but here I resolved to have a 
feast, and, setting all hands to forage, on return 
we found our combined efforts had produced an 
imposing pile of several yards of beef (for here 
the meat is cut into long strips and dried), 
onions, chiles, frijoles, sweet corn, eggs, &c. 
An enormous olla [earthen pot] was procured, 
and everything was bundled pell-mell into it, 
seasoned with pepper and salt and chile. 

To protect the fire from the hurricane that 
was blowing, all the packs and saddles were 
piled round it, and my servant and the soldiers 
relieved each other in their vigilant watch of 
the precious compound, myself superintending 
the process of cooking. Our appetites, raven- 
ous with a fast of twenty-four hours, were in 
first-rate order, but we determined that the pot 
should be left on the fire until the savory mess 
was perfectly cooked. It was within an hour 
or two of sunset, and we had not yet broken 
our fast. The olla simmered, and a savory 
steam pervaded the air. The dragoons licked 
their lips, and their eyes watered — never had 
they had such a feast in perspective; for myself, 
I never removed my eyes from the pot, and had 
just resolved that, when the puro in my mouth 
was smoked out, the pucker o* would have 
attained perfection. At length the moment 

*A Spanish dish made from meat and vegetables. (Ed.) 



OUT OF OLD MEXICO 19 

arrived: my mozo, with a blazing smile, ap- 
proached the fire, and with guarded hands 
seized the top of the olla, and lifted it from the 
ashes. 

^'Ave Maria Purissima! Santissima Virgen!'' 
broke from the lips of the dragoons; ''Mil 
carajosr' burst from the heart of the mozo; and 
I sank almost senseless to the ground. On 
lifting the pot the bottom fell out, and splash 
went everything into the blazing fire. Valgame 
Dios! what a moment was that! Stupefied, and 
hardly crediting our senses, we gazed at the 
burning, frizzling, hissing remnants, as they 
were consuming before our eyes. Nothing was 
rescued, and our elaborate feast was simplified 
into a supper of frijoles and chile Colorado, 
which, after some difficulty, we procured from 
the village. 

The next morning we started before daylight, 
and at sunrise watered our animals at the little 
lake called Laguna de Patos, from the ducks 
which frequent it; and at midday we halted at 
another spring, the Ojo de la Estrella — star 
spring — where we again watered them, as we 
should be obliged to camp that night without 
water. We chose a camping-ground in a large 
plain covered with mezquit, which afforded us a 
little fuel — now become very necessary, as the 
nights were piercingly cold. As we had been 
unable to procure provisions in Carrizal, we 



20 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

went to bed supperless, which was now a very 
usual occurrence. My animals suffered from the 
cold, which, coming as they did from the tierra 
caliente, they felt excessively, particularly a 
little blood horse with an exceedingly fine coat. 
I was obliged to share my blankets with this 
poor animal, or I believe it would have died in 
the night. 

Just at daybreak the next morning I was rid- 
ing in advance of the party, when I met a 
cavalcade of horsemen whose wild costume, 
painted faces, and arms consisting of bows and 
arrows, made me think at first that they were 
Indians. On their part, they evidently did not 
know what to make of me, and halted while 
two of them rode forward to reconnoitre. I 
quickly slipped the cover off my rifle, and ad- 
vanced. Seeing my escort following, they saw 
we were amigos; but the nearer they approached 
me, the more certain was I that they were 
Apaches for they were all in Indian dress, and 
frightfully painted. I was as nearly as possible 
shooting the foremost, when he exclaimed in 
Spanish, ^'Adios, amigol que novedades hay?" — 
and I then saw a number of mules, packed with 
bales and barrels, behind him. They were 
Pasenos, on their way to Chihuahua, with 
aguardiente, raisins, and fruit; and shortly after 
passing them, I found in the road a large bag 
of pazas or raisins, which I pounced upon as a 



OUT OF OLD MEXICO 21 

great prize, and, waiting until the escort came 
up, we dismounted, and, sitting at the roadside, 
devoured the fruit with great gusto, as this was 
our second day of banyan. This bag lasted 
for many days. I found the raisins a great 
improvement to stews, &c., and we popped a 
handful or two into every dish. 

At ten o'clock we reached a muddy hole of 
water, entirely frozen — my animals refusing to 
drink, being afraid of the ice after we had broken 
it. The water was as thick as pea-soup; 
nevertheless we filled our huages with it, as we 
should probably meet with none so good that 
day. Towards sunset we passed a most extra- 
ordinary mountain of loose shifting sand, three 
miles in breadth, and, according to the Pasenos, 
sixty in length. The huge rolling mass of sand 
is nearly destitute of vegetation, save here and 
there a bunch of greasewood half -buried in the 
sand. Road there is none, but a track across 
is marked by the skeletons and dead bodies of 
oxen, and of mules and horses, which every- 
where meet the eye. On one ridge the upper 
half of a human skeleton protruded from the 
sand, and bones of animals and carcases in 
every stage of decay. The sand is knee-deep, 
and constantly shifting, and pack-animals have 
great difficulty in passing. 

After sunset we reached a dirty, stagnant 
pool, known as the Ojo de Malay uca; but, as 



22 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

there was not a blade of grass in the vicinity, 
we were compelled to turn out of the road and 
search over the arid plain for a patch to camp 
in. At last we succeeded in finding a spot, 
and encamped, without wood, water, or supper, 
being the second day's fast. The next day, 
passing a broken country, perfectly barren, we 
struck into the valley of El Paso, and for the 
first time I saw the well-timbered bottom of the 
Rio Bravo del Norte. Descending a ridge 
covered with greasewood and mezquit, we 
entered the little village of El Paso, with its 
vineyards and orchards and well-cultivated 
gardens lying along the right bank of the river. 
On entering the plaza I was immediately 
surrounded by a crowd, for my escort had ridden 
before me and mystified them with wonderful 
accounts of my importance. However, as I did 
not choose to enlighten them as to my destina- 
tion or the object of my journey, they were fain 
to rest satisfied with the egregious lies of the 
dr agones. In the plaza was a little guard- 
house, where a ferocious captain was in command 
of a dirty dozen or two of soldados. This 
worthy, to show his importance, sent a sergeant 
to order my instant attendance at the guard- 
room. In as many words I told the astonished 
messenger to tell his officer "to go to the devil;" 
to his horror, and the delight of the surrounding 
crowd. The answer was delivered word for 



OUT OF OLD MEXICO 23 

word, but I heard no more from the military 
hero. My next visitor was the prefecto, who is 
an important personage in a small place. That 
worthy, with a dignified air, asked in a deter- 
mined tone, as much as to say to the crowd 
*'See how soon I will learn his business" — 

'^Por onde pasa usted, cahallero? — Where are 
you bound?" 

^'Por Santa Fe y Nuevo Mejico/' I answered. 

"No, senor," he immediately rejoined, "this 
cannot be permitted: by the order of the Gover- 
nor no one is allowed to go to the north; and 
I must request, moreover, that you exhibit your 
passport and other documentos.'" 

''Hi lo tiene usted — here you have it" — I 
answered, producing a credential which at 
once caused the hat to fly from his head, and 
an offer of himself, ''su casa, y todo lo que tiene, a 
mi disposicion — his house, and all in it, at my 
disposal." However, all his munificent offers 
were declined, as I had letters to the cura, a 
young priest named Ortiz, whose unbounded 
hospitality I enjoyed during my stay. 



CHAPTER II 

The Journey of the Dead 

EL PASO DEL NORTE, so called from 
the ford of that river, which is here first 
struck and crossed on the way to New 
Mexico, is the oldest settlement in Northern 
Mexico, a mission having been established there 
by el padre Fray Augustine Ruiz, one of the 
Franciscan monks who first visited New Mexico, 
as early as the close of the sixteenth century 
(about the year 1585). Fray Ruiz, in company 
with two others, named Venabides and Marcos, 
discovering in the natives a laudable disposition 
to receive the word of God and embrace ^Ha 
santafe Catolica,'' remained here a considerable 
time, preaching by signs to the Indians, and 
making many miraculous conversions. Event- 
ually, Venabides having returned to Spain and 
given a glowing account of the riches of the 
country, and the muy huen indole — the very 
proper disposition of the aborigines — Don Juan 
Onate was despatched to conquer, take pos- 
session of, and govern the remote colony, and on 
his way to Santa Fe established a permanent 

settlement at El Paso. Twelve families from 

24 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 25 

Old Castile accompanied Onate to Nuevo Mejico 
to form a colony, and their descendants still 
remain scattered over the province. 

Several years after, when the Spanish colonists 
were driven out of New Mexico, they retreated 
to El Paso, where they erected a fortification, 
and maintained themselves until the arrival 
of reinforcements from Mexico. The present 
settlement is scattered for about fifteen miles 
along the right bank of the Del Norte, and 
contains five or six thousand inhabitants. The 
plaza, or village, of El Paso, is situated at the 
head of the valley, and at the other extremity 
is the presidio of San Eleazario. Between the 
two is a continued line of adobe houses, with 
their plots of garden and vineyard. 

The farms seldom contain more than twenty 
acres, each family having a separate house and 
plot of land. 

The Del Norte is dammed about a mile above 
the ford, and water is conveyed by an acequia 
madre — main canal — to irrigate the valley. 
From this acequia, other smaller ones branch 
out in every direction, until the land is inter- 
sected in every part with dykes, and is thus 
rendered fertile and productive. 

The soil produces wheat, maize, and other 
grains, and is admirably adapted to the growth 
of the vine, which is cultivated here, and yields 
abundantly; and a wine of excellent flavor is 



26 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

made from the grapes. Brandy of a tolerable 
quality is also manufactured,, and, under the 
name of aguardiente del Paso, is highly esteemed 
in Durango and Chihuahua. Under proper 
management wine-making here might become 
a very profitable branch of trade, as the interior 
of Mexico is now supplied with French wines, 
the cost of which, owing to the long land- 
carriage from the seaports, is enormous, and 
wine might be made from the Paso grape equal 
to the best growths of France or Spain. Fruits 
of all kinds, common to temperate regions, 
and vegetables, are abundant and of good qual- 

The river bottom is timbered with cotton- 
woods, which extend a few hundred yards on 
each side the banks. The river itself is here a 
small turbid stream, with water of a muddy red, 
but in the season of the rains it is swollen to 
six times its present breadth, and frequently 
overflows the banks. It is of fordable depth in 
almost any part; but, from the constantly 
shifting quicksands and bars, is always difficult, 
and often dangerous, to cross with loaded wag- 
ons. It abounds with fish and eels of large 
size. The houses of the Paseiios are built of the 
adobe, and are small but clean and neatly kept. 
Here, as everywhere else in Northern Mexico, 
the people are in constant fear of Indian attacks, 
and, from the frequent devastations of the 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 27 

Apaches, the valley has been almost swept 
of horses, mules, and cattle. The New Mexicans 
too, disguised as Indians, often plunder these 
settlements (as occurred during my visit, when 
two were captured), and frequently accompany 
the Apaches in their raids on the state of 
Chihuahua. — Cosas de Mejico! 

At this time the Paseiios had enrolled them- 
selves into a body of troops termed auxiliares, 
700 strong; but in spite of them the Apaches 
attacked a mulada at the outskirts of the town, 
and, but for the bravery of two negroes, runaway 
slaves from the Cherokee nation, would have 
succeeded in carrying off the whole herd; this 
was during my stay in this part of the country. 
One of the herders was killed, but the negroes, 
when the animals were already in the hands of 
the Indians, seized their rifles and came to the 
rescue, succeeding in recapturing the midada. 

At El Paso I found four Americans, prisoners 
at large. They had arrived here on their way 
to California, with a mountain trapper as their 
guide, who, from some disagreement respecting 
the amount of pay he was to receive, thought 
proper to revenge himself by denouncing them 
as spies, and they were consequently thrown 
into prison. It being subsequently discovered 
that the informer had committed the most 
barefaced perjury, these men were released, and 
the denouncer confined in their stead — quite an 



28 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

un-Mexican act of justice. However, as they 
had arrived unprovided with passports, they 
were detained as prisoners, although permitted 
to go at large about the place, living, or rather 
existing, on charity. Their baggage had been 
taken from them, their animals sold, and they 
were left to shift for themselves. I endeavored 
to procure their liberty, by offering to take 
them with me, and guarantee their good con- 
duct while in the country, and also that they 
would not take up arms against the Mexicans; 
but this having no effect, and as the poor fellows 
were in a wretched condition, I advised them to 
run for it, promising to pick them up on the 
road and supply them with the necessary pro- 
vision, and cautioning them at the same time 
to conceal themselves in the daytime, travelling 
at night, and on no account to enter the settle- 
ments. They disappeared from El Paso the 
same night, and what became of them w^ill be 
presently shown. 

On the 19th I left the Paso with an escort of 
fifteen auxiliares, a ragged troop, with whom 
to have marched through Coventry would have 
broken the heart of Sir John Falstaff. Armed 
with bows and arrows, lances, and old rusty 
escopetas [muskets] and mounted on miserable 
horses, their appearance was anything but war- 
like, and far from formidable. I did my best to 
escape the honor, knowing that they would 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 29 

only be in my way, and of not the slightest use 
in ease of Indian attack; but all my protesta- 
tions were attributed to modesty, and were 
overruled, and I was fain to put myself at the 
head of the band of valiant Pasenos, who were 
to escort me to the borders of the state of 
Chihuahua. One of them, a very old man, with 
a long lance which he carried across his saddle- 
bow, and an old rusty bell-mouthed escopetay 
attached himself particularly to me, riding by 
my side, and pointing out the bad points — the 
mal puntos — whence the Apaches usually made 
their attacks. He had, he told me, served all 
through the War of Independence, *'y por el 
Rey — for the king'' — he added, reverently 
doffing his hat at the miention of the king. He 
was a loyalist heart and soul. ^'Ojala por los 
diets felices del reyno! — alas for the happy time 
when Mexico was ruled by a king!" — was his 
constant sighing exclamation. A doblon, with 
the head of Carlos Tercero, hung round his 
neck, and was ever in his hand, being reverently 
kissed every few miles. He was, he said, 
''medio tonto — half-crazy" — and made verses, 
very sorry ones, but he would repeat them to 
me when we arrived in camp. 

Leaving El Paso, we travelled along the 
rugged precipitous bank of the river, crossing 
it about three miles above the village, and, 
striking into a wild barren-looking country. 



30 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

again made the river about sunset, and en- 
camped in the bottom, under some very large 
cottonwoods, at a point called Los Alamitos — 
the little poplars — although they are enormous 
trees. We had here a very picturesque camp. 
Several fires gleamed under the trees, and round 
them lay the savage-looking Pasenos, whilst 
the animals were picketed round about. Several 
deer jumped out of the bottom when we entered, 
and on the banks of the river I saw some fresh 
beaver "sign.'* 

The next day, halting an hour at the Brazitos, 
an encamping-ground so called, and a short 
time afterwards passing the battle-ground where 
Doniphan's Missourians routed the Mexicans, 
we saw Indian sign on the banks of the river, 
where a considerable body had just crossed. A 
little farther on we met a party of seven soldiers 
returning from a successful hunt after the 
Americans who had escaped from the Paso. 
These unfortunates were sitting quietly behind 
their captors, who had overtaken them at the 
little settlement of Donana, which they foolishly 
entered to obtain provisions. 

Donana is a very recent settlement of ten or 
fifteen families, who, tempted by the richness 
of the soil, abandoned their farms in the valley 
of El Paso, and have here attempted to cultivate 
a small tract in the very midst of the Apaches, 
who have already paid them several visits and 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 31 

carried off or destroyed their stock of cattle. 
The huts are built of logs and mud, and situated 
on the top of a tabular bluff which looks down 
upon the river-bottom. 

The soil along this bottom, from El Paso to 
the settlements of New Mexico, is amazingly 
rich, and admirably adapted for the growth of 
all kinds of grain. The timber upon it is 
Cottonwood, dwarf oak, and mezquit, under 
which is a thick undergrowth of bushes. Several 
attempts have been made to settle this produc- 
tive tract, but have all of them failed from the 
hostility of the Apaches. Should this depart- 
ment fall into the hands of the Americans, it 
will soon become a thriving settlement; for the 
hardy backwoodsman, with his axe on one 
shoulder and rifle 6n the other, will not be 
deterred by the savage, like the present pusil- 
lanimous owners of the soil, from turning it to 
account. 

The next day we encamped at San Diego, the 
point where the traveller leaves the river and 
enters upon the dreaded Jornada del Muerto — 
the journey of the dead man. All the camping 
and watering places on the river are named, 
but there are no settlements, with the exception 
of Doiiana, between El Paso and Socorro, the 
first settlement in New Mexico, a distance of 
250 miles. 

At San Diego we saw more Indian signs, the 



32 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

consequence of which was, that my escort 
reported their horses to be exhausted and unable 
to proceed; so, nothing loth, I gave them their 
conge, and the next morning they retraced 
their steps to El Paso, leaving me with my two 
servants to pass the Jornada, I was now at the 
edge of this formidable desert, where along the 
road the bleaching bones of mules and horses 
testify to the dangers to be apprehended from 
the want of water and pasture, and many 
human bones likewise tell their tale of Indian 
slaughter and assault. 

I remained in camp until noon, when for the 
last time we led the animals to the water and 
allowed them to drink their fill: we then 
mounted, and at a sharp pace struck at once 
into the Jornada. The road is perfectly level 
and hard, and over plains bounded by sierras. 
Palmillas and bushes of sage (artemisia) are 
scattered here and there, but the mezquit is 
now becoming scarce, the tornilla or screw- 
wood taking its place; farther on this wood 
ceases, and there is then no fuel to be met with 
of any description. Large herds of antelope 
bounded past, and coyotes skulked along on 
their trail, and prairie-dog towns were met 
every few miles, but their inmates were snug 
in their winter-quarters, and only made their 
appearance to bask in the meridian sun. 

Shortly after leaving San Diego we found 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 33 

water in a little hole called El Perillo (the 
little dog), but our animals, having so lately 
drunk, would not profit by the discovery, and 
we hurried on, keeping the pack-animals in a 
sharp trot. Near the Perillo is a point of rocks 
which abuts upon the road, and from which a 
large body of Apaches a few years since pounced 
upon a band of American trappers and entirely 
defeated them, killing several and carrying off 
all their animals. Behind these rocks they 
frequently lie in ambush, shooting down the 
unwary traveller, whose first intimation of 
their presence is the puff of smoke from the 
rocks, or the whiz of an arrow through the air. 
One of my mozos, who was a New Mexican and 
knew the country well, warned me of the dangers 
of this spot, and before passing it I halted the 
mules and rode on to reconnoitre; but no Apache 
lurked behind it, and we passed unmolested. 

About midnight we stopped at the Laguna 
del Muerto — the dead man's lake — a depression 
in the plain, which in the rainy season is covered 
with water, but was now hard and dry. We 
rested the animals here for half an hour, and, 
collecting a few armfuls of artemisia, attempted 
to make a fire, for we were all benumbed with 
cold; but the dry twigs blazed brightly for a 
minute, and were instantly consumed. By the 
temporary light it afforded us we discovered 
that a large party of Indians had passed the 



34 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

very spot but a few hours, and were probably 
not far off at that moment, and, if so, they 
would certainly be attracted by our fire, so we 
desisted in our attempts. The mules and 
horses, which had travelled at a very quick 
pace, were suffering, even thus early, from want 
of water, and my horse bit off the neck of a 
huage, or gourd, which I had placed on the 
ground, and which the poor beast by his nose 
knew to contain water. However, as there was 
not a vestige of grass on the spot, after a halt 
of half an hour, we again mounted and pro- 
ceeded on our journey, continuing at a rapid 
pace all night. At sunrise we halted for a 
couple of hours on a patch of grass which 
afforded a bite to the tired animals, and about 
three in the afternoon had the satisfaction of 
reaching the river at the watering-place called 
Fray Cristoval, having performed the whole 
distance of the Jornada, of ninety-five, or, as 
some say, one hundred miles, in little more than 
twenty hours. 

The plain through which the dead man's 
journey passes is one of a system, or series, which 
stretch along the table-land between the Sierra 
Madre, or main chain of the Cordillera, on the 
west, and the small mountain-chain of the 
Sierra Blanca and the Organos, which form the 
dividing ridge between the waters of the Del 
Norte and the Rio Pecos. Through this valley, 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 35 

fed by but few streams, runs the Del Norte. 
Its water, from the constant abrasion of the 
banks of alluvial soil, is very muddy and dis- 
colored, but nevertheless of excellent quality, 
and has the reputation at El Paso of possessing 
chemical properties which prevent diseases of 
the kidneys, stone, &c. &c. 

The White Mountain and the Organos are 
singularly destitute of streams, but on the latter 
is said to be a small lake, in the waters of which 
may be seen the phenomenon of a daily rise and 
fall similar to a tide. They are also reported to 
abound in minerals, but, from the fact of these 
sierras being the hiding-places of Apaches, they 
are never visited excepting during a hostile 
expedition against these Indians, and conse- 
quently in these excursions but little opportunity 
is afforded for an examination of the country. 
The sierras are also celebrated for medicinal 
herbs of great value, which the Apaches, when 
at peace with the Pasenos, sometimes bring in 
for sale. 

Indeed, from the accounts which I received 
from the people of these mountains, I should 
judge them to be well worthy of a visit, which 
however would be extremely hazardous on 
account of the hostility of the Indians and the 
scarcity of water. Their formation is apparent- 
ly volcanic, and, judging from the nature of the 
plains, which in many places are strewed with 



36 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

volcanic substances, and exhibit the bluffs of 
tabular form, composed of basaltic lava, known 
by the name of mesas (tables), the valley must 
at one time have been subjected to volcanic 
agency. 

Staying at Fray Cristoval but one night, I 
pushed on to the ruins of Valverde, a long- 
deserted rancheria, a few miles beyond which 
was the advanced post of the American troops. 
Here, encamped on the banks of the river in the 
heavy timber, I found a great portion of the 
caravan which I have before mentioned as 
being en route to Chihuahua, and also a survey- 
ing party under the command of Lieut. Abert, 
of the United States Topographical Engineers. 

Being entirely out of provisions, and my 
camp hungry, the next morning I mounted my 
hunting-mule, and crossed the river, which was 
partially frozen, to look for deer in the bottom. 
Thanks to my mule, as I was passing through a 
thicket I saw her prick her ears and look on 
one side, and, following her gaze, descried three 
deer standing under a tree with their heads 
turned towards me. My rifle was quickly up 
to my shoulder, and a fine large doe dropped to 
the report, shot through the heart. Being in a 
hurry, I did not wait to cut it up, but threw it 
on to my mule, which I drove before me to the 
river. Large blocks of ice were floating down, 
which rendered the passage difficult, but I 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 37 

mounted behind the deer and pushed the mule 
into the stream. Just as we had got into the 
middle of the current a large piece of ice struck 
her, and, to prevent herself being carried down 
the stream, she threw herself on her haunches, 
and I slipped over the tail, and head over ears 
into the water. Rid of the extra load, the mule 
carried the deer safely over and trotted off to 
camp, where she quietly stood to be unpacked, 
leaving me, drenched to the skin, to follow after 
her. 

The traders had been lying here many weeks, 
and the bottom where they were encamped 
presented quite a picturesque appearance. The 
timber extends half a mile from the river, and 
the Cottonwood trees are of large size, without 
any undergrowth of bushes . Amongst the trees, 
in open spaces, were drawn up the wagons, 
formed into a corral or square, and close to- 
gether, so that the whole made a most formid- 
able fort, and, when filled with some hundred 
rifles, could defy the attacks of Indians or Mexi- 
cans. Scattered about were tents and shanties 
of logs and branches of every conceivable form, 
round which lounged wild-looking Missourians, 
some cooking at the camp-fires, some cleaning 
their rifles or firing at targets — blazes cut in the 
trees, with a bull's-eye made with wet powder 
on the white bark. From morning till night the 
camp resounded with the popping of rifles. 



38 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 1 

firing at marks for prizes of tobacco, or at any 
living creature which presented itself. 

The oxen, horses, and mules were sent out at 
daylight to pasture on the grass of the prairie, 
and at sunset made their appearance, driven 
in by the Mexican herders, and were secured for 
the night in the corrals. My own animals 
roamed at will, but every evening came to the 
river to drink, and made their way to my camp, 
where they would frequently stay round the 
fire all night. They never required herding, for 
they made their appearance as regularly as the 
day closed, and would come to my whistle 
whenever I required my hunting-mule. The 
poor beasts were getting very poor, not having 
had corn since leaving El Paso, and having 
subsisted during the journey from that place on 
very little of the coarsest kind of grass. They 
felt it the more as they were all accustomed to be 
fed on grain; and the severe cold was very try- 
ing to them, coming, as they did, from a tropical 
climate. My favorite horse, Panchito, had lost 
all his good looks; his once full and arched neck 
was now a perfect "ewe," and his ribs and hip- 
bones were almost protruding through the skin; 
but he was as game as ever, and had never once 
flinched in his work. 

Provisions of all kinds were very scarce in the 
camp, and the game, being constantly hunted, 
soon disappeared. Having been invited to join 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 39 

the hospitable mess of the officers of the Engin- 
eers, I fortunately did not suffer, although even 
they were living on their rations, and on the 
produce of our guns. The traders, mostly young 
men from the eastern cities, were fine hearty 
fellows, who employ their capital in this trade 
because it combines pleasure with profit, and 
the excitement and danger of the journey 
through the Indian country are more agreeable 
than the monotonous life of a city merchant. 
The volunteers' camp was some three miles up 
the river on the other side. Colonel Doniphan, 
who commanded, had just returned from an 
expedition into the Navajo country for the 
purpose of making a treaty with the chiefs of 
that nation, who have hitherto been bitter 
enemies of the New Mexicans. From appear- 
ances no one would have imagined this to be a 
military encampment. The tents were in a line, 
but there all uniformity ceased. There were no 
regulations in force with regard to cleanliness. 
The camp was strewed with the bones and offal 
of the cattle slaughtered for its supply, and not 
the slightest attention was paid to keeping it 
clear from other accumulations of filth. 

The men, unwashed and unshaven, were 
ragged and dirty, without uniforms, and dressed 
as, and how, they pleased. They wandered 
about, listless and sickly -looking, or were sitting 
in groups playing at cards, and swearing and 



40 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

cursing, even at the officers if they interfered to 
stop it (as I witnessed). The greatest irregu- 
larities constantly took place. Sentries, or a 
guard, although in an enemy's country, were 
voted unnecessary; and one fine day, during the 
time I was here, three Navajo Indians ran off 
with a flock of eight hundred sheep belonging 
to the camp, killing the two volunteers in 
charge of them, and reaching the mountains in 
safety with their booty. Their mules and horses 
were straying over the country; in fact, the 
most total want of discipline was apparent in 
everything. These very men, however, were as 
full of fight as game cocks, and shortly after 
defeated four times their number of Mexicans 
at Sacramento, near Chihuahua. 

The American can never be made a soldier; 
his constitution will not bear the restraint of 
discipline, neither will his very mistaken 
notions about liberty allow him to subject him- 
self to its necessary control. In a country 
abounding with all the necessaries of life, and 
where any one of physical ability is at no loss 
for profitable employment — moreover, where, 
from the nature of the country, the lower 
classes lead a life free from all the restraint of 
society, and almost its conventional laws — it is 
easy to conceive that it would require great 
inducements for a man to enter the army and 
subject himself to discipline for the sake of the 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 41 

trifling remuneration, when so many other 
sources of profitable employment are open to 
him. For these reasons the service is unpopu- 
lar, and only resorted to by men who are either 
too indolent to work, or whose bad characters 
prevent them seeking other employment. 

The volunteering service on the other hand 
is eagerly sought, on occasions such as the 
present war with Mexico affords, by young men 
even of the most respectable classes, as, in this, 
discipline exists but in name, and they have 
privileges and rights, such as electing their own 
officers, &c., which they consider to be more 
consonant to their ideas of liberty and equality. 
The system is palpably bad, as they have 
sufficiently proved in this war. The election 
of officers is made entirely a political question, 
and quite irrespective of their military qualities, 
and, knowing the footing on which they stand 
with the men, they, if even they know how, are 
afraid to exact of them either order or discipline. 
Of drill or manoeuvering the volunteers have 
little or no idea. * 'Every man on his own 
hook" is their system in action; and trusting to, 
and confident in, their undeniable bravery, 
they "go ahead," and overcome all obstacles. 
No people know better the advantages of dis- 
cipline than do the officers of the regular service; 
and it is greatly to their credit that they can 
keep the standing army in the state it is. As 



42 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

it is mostly composed of foreigners — Germans, 
English, and Irish, and deserters from the 
British army — they might be brought to as 
perfect a state of discipline as any of the armies 
of Europe; but the feeling of the people will not 
permit it; the public would at once cry out 
against it as contrary to republican notions and 
the liberty of the citizen. 

There is a vast disparity between the officers 
of the regular army and the men they command. 
Receiving at West Point (an admirable institu- 
tion) a military education by which they acquire 
a practical as well as theoretical knowledge of 
the science of war, as a class they are probably 
more distinguished for military knowledge than 
the officers of any European army. Uniting 
with this a high chivalrous feeling and most 
conspicuous gallantry, they have all the essen- 
tials of the officer and soldier. Notwithstanding 
this, they have been hitherto an unpopular 
class in the United States, being accused of 
having a tendency to aristocratic feeling; but 
rather, I do believe, from the marked distinction 
in education and character which divides them 
from the mass, than any other reason. However, 
the late operations in Mexico have sufficiently 
proved that to their regular officers alone, and 
more particularly to those who have been edu- 
cated at the much-decried West Point, are to 
be attributed the successes which have every- 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 43 

where attended the American arms; and it is 
notorious that on more than one occasion the 
steadiness of the small regular force, and par- 
ticularly of the artillery, under their command, 
has saved the army from most serious disasters. 

I remained at Valverde encampment several 
days in order to recruit my animals before pro- 
ceeding farther to the north, passing the time 
in hunting; game, although driven from the 
vicinity of the camp, being still plentiful at a 
little distance. Besides deer and antelope, 
turkeys were very abundant in the river bottom; 
and, of lesser game, hares, rabbits, and quail 
were met with on the plain, and geese and 
ducks in the river. 

One day I got a shot at a panther (painter), 
but did not kill it, as my old mule was so dis- 
turbed at the sight of the beast, that she refused 
to remain quiet. The prairie between the Del 
Norte and the mountain, a distance of twelve or 
fourteen miles, is broken into gulleys and ra- 
vines, which intersect it in every direction. At 
the bottom of these is a thick growth of coarse 
grass and grease-bushes, where the deer love to 
resort in the middle of the day. I was riding 
slowly up one of these canons, with my rifle 
across the saddle-bow, and the reins thrown 
on the mule's neck, being at that moment en- 
gaged in lighting my pipe, when the mule 
pricked her ears and turned her head to one 



44 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

side very suddenly, giving a cant round at the 
same time. I looked to the right, and saw a 
large panther, with his tail sweeping the ground, 
trotting leisurely up the side of the ravine, 
which rose abruptly from the dry bed of a water- 
course, up which I was proceeding. The animal, 
when it had reached the top, turned round and 
looked at me, its tiger-like ears erect, and its 
tail quivering with anger. The mule snorted and 
backed, but, fearing to dismount, lest the 
animal should run off, I raised my rifle and 
fired both barrels at the beast, which, giving a 
hissing growl, bounded away unhurt. 

It was, however, dangerous to go far from 
the camp, as Apaches and Navajos were con- 
tinually prowling round, and, as I have men- 
tioned, had killed two of the volunteers, and 
stolen 800 sheep. One day, while hunting, I 
came upon a fire which they had just left, and, 
as several oxen were lost that night, this party, 
which, from the tracks, consisted of a man, 
woman, and boy, had doubtless run them off. 
I was that day hunting in company with a 
French Canadian and an American, both 
trappers and old mountain-men, when, at sun- 
down, just as we had built a fire and were 
cooking our suppers under some trees near the 
river, we heard the gobble-gobble of an old 
turkey-cock, as he called his flock to roost. 
Lying motionless on the ground, we watched 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 45 

the whole flock, one after another, fly up to the 
trees over our heads, to the number of upwards 
of thirty. There was still light enough to shoot, 
and the whole flock was within reach of our 
rifles, but, as we judged that we could not hope 
for more than one shot apiece, which would 
only give three birds, we agreed to wait until 
the moon rose, when we might bag the whole 
family. 

Hardly daring to move, we remained quiet 
for several hours, as the moon rose late, con- 
soling ourselves with our anticipations of a 
triumphal entry into camp, on the morrow, with 
twenty or thirty fine turkeys for a Christmas 
feast. 

At length the moon rose, but unfortunately 
clouded: nevertheless we thought there was 
sufficient light for our purpose, and, rifle in 
hand, approached the trees where the uncon- 
scious birds were roosting. Creeping close along 
the ground, we stopped under the first tree we 
came to, and, looking up, on one of the topmost 
naked limbs was a round black object. The pas 
was given to me, and, raising my rifle, I en- 
deavored to obtain a sight, but the light was 
too obscure to draw "a bead," although there 
appeared no difficulty in getting a level. I 
fired, expecting to hear the crash of the falling 
bird follow the report, but the black object on 
the tree never moved. My companions chuckled. 



46 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

and I fired my second barrel with similar result, 
the bird still remaining perfectly quiet. The 
Canadian then stepped forth, and, taking a 
deliberate aim, bang he went. 

''Sacre enfant de Gdrcer' he exclaimed, finding 
he too had missed the bird; "I aim straight, 
mais light tres bad, sacre !" 

Bang went the other's rifle, and bang-bang 
went my two barrels immediately after, cutting 
the branch in two on which the bird was sitting, 
who, thinking this a hint to be off, and that he 
had sufficiently amused us, flew screaming away. 
The same compliments were paid to every 
individual, one bird standing nine shots before 
it flew off: and, to end the story, we fired away 
every ball in our pouches without as much as 
touching a feather; the fact of the matter being, 
that the light was not sufficient to see an object 
through the fine sight of the rifles. 

At Valverde my Mexican servant deserted, 
why or wherefore I could not understand, as 
he did not even wait for his pay, and carried off 
no equivalent. I also left here the Mexico- 
Irishman who had accompanied me from 
Mapimi. He was already suffering from the 
severities of the climate, and, being very deli- 
cate, I did not think him able to stand a winter 
journey over the Rocky Mountains. He there- 
fore returned to Chihuahua with one of the 
traders. From this point to my winter quarters 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 47 

in the mountains I was entirely on my own 
resources, being unable to hire a servant in 
whom I could place the least confidence, and 
preferring to shift for myself, rather than be 
harassed with being always on the watch to 
prevent my fidus Achates from robbing or 
murdering me. My animals gave me little or 
no trouble, and I had now reduced my requa to 
five, having left at El Paso the tierra caliente 
[lowland] horse, another having died on the 
road, and a mule having been lost or strayed on 
the Del Norte. In travelling I had no difiiculty 
with the pack and loose mules. I rode in front 
on Panchito, and the mules followed like dogs, 
never giving me occasion even to turn round 
to see if they were there; for if, by any accident, 
they lost sight of the horse, and other animals 
were near, they would gallop about smelling at 
each, and often, starting off to horses or mules 
feeding at a distance, would return at full 
gallop, crying with terror until they found their 
old friend. Panchito, on his part, showed equal 
signs of perturbation if they remained too far 
behind, as sometimes they would stop for a 
mouthful of grass, and, turning his head, would 
recall them by a loud neigh, which invariably 
had the effect of bringing them up at a hand- 
gallop. 

The greatest difiiculty I experienced was in 
packing the mules, which operation, when on an 



48 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

aparejo, or Mexican pack-saddle, is the work 
of two men, and I may as well describe the 
process. 

The equipment of a pack-mule — mula de 
carga — consists first and foremost of the aparejo, 
which is a square pad of stuffed leather. An 
idea of the shape may be formed by taking a 
book and placing it saddle-fashion on any 
object, the leaves being equally divided, and 
each half forming a flap of the saddle. This is 
placed on the mule's back on a xerga, or saddle- 
cloth, which had under it a salea, raw sheep- 
skin softened by the hand, which prevents the 
saddle chafing the back. The aparejo is then 
secured by a broad grass-band, which is drawn 
so tight, that the animal appears cut in two, 
and groans and grunts most awfully under the 
operation, which to a greenhorn seems most 
unnecessary and cruel. It is in this, however, 
that the secret of packing a mule consists; the 
firmer the pack-saddle, the more comfortably 
the mule travels, and with less risk of being 
''matada,'' literally killed, but meaning chafed 
and cut. 

The carga is then placed on the top, if a single 
pack; or if two of equal size and weight one on 
each side, being coupled together by a rope, 
which balances them on the mule's back: a 
stout pack-rope is then thrown over all, drawn 
as tight as possible under the belly, and laced 



THE JOURNEY OF THE DEAD 49 

round the packs, securing the load firmly in its 
place. A square piece of matting — j>etate — is 
then thrown over the pack to protect it from 
rain, the tapojos is removed from the mule's 
eyes, and the operation is complete. The 
tapojos — blinker — is a piece of thin embroidered 
leather, which is placed over the mule's eyes 
before being packed, and, thus blinded, the 
animal remains perfectly quiet. The cargador 
[packer] stands on the near side of the pack, 
his assistant on the other, hauling on the slack 
of the rope, with his knee against the side of the 
mule for a purchase; when the rope is taut, he 
cries ''Adios!" and the packer, rejoining ^'Vayar 
makes fast the rope on the top of the carga, 
sings out *'Anda!'* and the mule trots ojff to her 
companions, who feed round until all the mules 
of the atajo are packed. 

Muleteering is the natural occupation of the 
Mexican. He is in all his glory when travelling 
as one of the mozos of a large atajo — a caravan 
of pack mules; but the height of his ambition is 
to attain the rank of mayor-domo or capitan — 
(the brigadero of Castile). The atajos, numbering 
from fifty to two hundred mules, travel a daily 
distance — jornada — of twelve or fifteen miles, 
each mule carrying a pack weighing from two 
to four hundred pounds. To a large atajo eight 
or ten muleteers are attached, and the dexterity 
and quickness with which they will saddle and 



50 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

pack an atajo of a hundred mules is surprising. 
The animals being driven to the spot, the lasso 
whirls round the head of the muleteer, and falls 
over the head of a particular mule. The tapojos 
is placed over the eyes, the heavy aparejo 
adjusted, and the pack secured, in three minutes. 
On reaching the place where they purpose to 
encamp, the pack saddles are all ranged in 
regular order, with the packs between, and 
covered with the petates, a trench being cut 
round them in wet weather to carry off the 
rain. One mule is always packed with the 
metate — the stone block upon which the maize 
is ground to make tortillas, and the oflSce of 
cook is undertaken in turn by each of the 
muleteers. Frijoles and chile Colorado comprise 
their daily bill of fare, with a drink of pulque 
when passing through the land of the maguey. 



CHAPTER III 

Travelling with the Engineers 

ON the 14th of December the camp was 
broken up, the traders proceeding to 
Fray Cristoval, at the entrance of the 
Jornada, to wait the arrival of the troops, 
which were about to advance on Chihuahua; 
and myself, in company with Lieutenant Abert's 
party, en route to Santa Fe. Crossing the Del 
Norte, we proceeded on its right bank ten or 
twelve miles, encamping in the bottom near 
the new settlement of San Antonio, a little 
hamlet of ten or twelve log-huts, inhabited by 
pastores and vaqueros — shepherds and cattle- 
herders. The river is but thinly timbered here, 
the soil being arid and sterile; on the bluffs, 
however, the grass is very good, being the 
gramma or feather-grass, and numerous flocks 
of sheep are sent hither to pasture from the 
settlements higher up the stream. 

The next day we passed through Socorro, a 
small, wretched place, the first settlement of 
New Mexico on the river. The houses are all of 
adobe, inside and out, one story high, and with 
the usual azotea or flat roof. They have generally 

51 



52 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

a small window, with thin sheets of talc (which 
here abounds) as a substitute for glass. They 
are, however, kept clean inside, the mud-floors 
being watered and swept many times during 
the day. The faces of the women were all 
stained with the fiery red juice of a plant called 
alegria, from the forehead to the chin. This is 
for the purpose of protecting their skin from the 
effects of the sun, and preserving them in un- 
tanned beauty to be exposed in the fandangos. 
Of all people in the world the Mexicans have the 
greatest antipathy to water, hot or cold, for 
ablutionary purposes. The men never touch 
their faces with that element, except in their 
bi-monthly shave; and the women besmear 
themselves with fresh coats of alegria when 
their faces become dirty: thus their counten- 
ances are covered with alternate strata of paint 
and dirt, caked, and cracked in fissures. My 
first impressions of New Mexico were anything 
but favorable, either to the country or the 
people. The population of Socorro was wretched 
looking, and every countenance seemed marked 
by vice and debauchery. The men appear to 
have no other employment than smoking and 
basking in the sun, wrapped in their sarapes; 
the women in dancing and intrigue. The ap- 
pearance of Socorro is that of a dilapidated 
brick-kiln, or a prairie-dog town; indeed, from 
these animals the New Mexicans appear to have 



TRAVELLING WITH THE ENGINEERS 53 

derived their style of architecture. In every 
village we entered, the women flocked round 
us begging for tobacco or money, the men 
loafing about, pilfering everything they could 
lay their hands on. As in other parts of Mexico, 
the women wore the enagua, or red petticoat, 
and reboso, and were all bare-legged. The men 
were some of them clad in buckskin shirts, 
made by the Indians. Near Socorro is a mining 
sierra, where gold and silver have been extracted 
in small quantities. All along the road we met 
straggling parties of the volunteers, on horse or 
mule-back, and on foot. In every camp they 
usually lost some of their animals, one or two 
of which our party secured. The five hundred 
men who were on the march covered an extent 
of road of more than a hundred miles — the 
ammunition and provision wagons travelling 
through an enemy's country without escort! 

On the 16th we passed through Limitar, 
another wretched village, and a sandy, desert 
country, quite uninhabited, camping again on 
the Del Norte; and next day, stopping an hour 
or two at Sabanal, we reached Bosque Redondo, 
the hacienda of one of the Chaves family, and 
one of the ricos (rich) of New Mexico. 

The churches in the villages of New Mexico 
are quaint little buildings, looking, with their 
adobe-walls, like turf-stacks. At each corner 
of the facade half a dozen bricks are erected 



54 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

in the form of a tower, and a centre ornament 
of the same kind supports a wooden cross. They 
are really the most extraordinary and primitive 
specimens of architecture I ever met with, and 
the decorations of the interior are equal to the 
promises held out by the imposing outside. 

The houses are entered by doors which 
barely admit a full-grown man; and the largest 
of New Mexican windows is but little bigger 
than the ventilator of a summer hat. However, 
in his rabbit-burrow, and with his tortillas and 
his chile, his ponche* and cigar of hojat, the 
New Mexican is content; and with an occasional 
traveller to pilfer, or the excitement of a stray 
Texan or two to massacre now and then, is 
tolerably happy; his only care being, that the 
river rise high enough to fill his acequia, or 
irrigating ditch, that sufficient maize may grow 
to furnish him tortillas for the winter, and 
shucks for his half -starved horse or mule, which 
the Navajos have left, out of charity, after 
killing half his sons and daughters, and bearing 
into captivity the wife of his bosom. 

We encamped behind the house at Bosque 
Redondo, for which privilege I asked permission 
of the proprietor; who doled us out six penny- 
worth of wood for our fires, never inviting us 
into his house, or offering the slightest civility. 
Cosas de Mejico! 

* A pungent tobacco grown in New Mexico, 
t Hoj'a, corn-shuck, leaves of Indian corn. 



TRAVELLING WITH THE ENGINEERS 55 

On the 17th we reached Albuquerque, next 
to Santa Fe the most important town in the 
province, and the residence of the ex-Governor 
Armijo. We found here a squadron of the 1st 
United States dragoons, the remainder of the 
regiment having accompanied General Kearney 
to California. We encamped near a large 
building where the men were quartered; and 
in the evening a number of them came round the 
fire, asking the news from the lower country. I 
saw that some of them had once worn a different- 
colored uniform from the sky-blue of the 
United States army; and in the evening, as I 
was walking with some of the officers of the 
regiment, I was accosted by one, whom I 
immediately recognized as a man named Her- 
bert, a deserter from the regiment to which I 
had once belonged. He had imagined that, as 
several years had elapsed since I had seen him, 
his face would not have been familiar to me, 
and inquired for a brother of his who was still 
in the regiment, denying at first that he had 
been in the British service. 

The settled portion of the province of New 
Mexico is divided into two sections, which, 
from their being situated on the Rio del Norte, are 
designated Rio Arriba and Rio Abajo, or up the 
river and down the river. Albuquerque is the 
chief town of the latter, as Santa Fe is of the 
former as well as the capital of the province. 



56 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The town and the estates in the neighbour- 
hood belong to the Armijo family; and the 
General of that name and ex-Governor, has 
here a palacio; and has also built a barrack, in 
which to accommodate the numerous escort 
which always attends him in his progresses to 
and from his country-seat. 

The families of Armijo, Chaves, Perea, and 
Ortiz are par excellence the ricos of New Mexico 
— indeed, all the wealth of the province is con- 
centrated in their hands; and a more grasping 
set of people, and more hard-hearted oppressors 
of the poor, it would be difficult to find in any 
other part of Mexico, where the rights or 
condition of the lower classes are no more con- 
sidered, than in civilized countries is the welfare 
of dogs and pigs. 

I had letters to the Seiiora Armijo, the wife 
of the runaway Governor; but, as it was late 
at night when we arrived, and as I intended to 
leave the next morning, I did not think it worth 
while to present them, merely delivering to the 
mayor-domo some private letters which had 
been intrusted to my care from Chihuahua. 
However, as I passed the windows of the sala, 
I had a good view of the lady, who was once 
celebrated as the belle of New Mexico. She is 
now a fat, comely dame of forty, with the 
remains of considerable beauty, but quite passee. 

Our halting-place next day was at Bernalillo, 



TRAVELLING WITH THE ENGINEERS 57 

a more miserable place than usual; but as I 
had brought letters to a wealthy haciendado, 
one Julian Perea, I anticipated an unusual 
degree of hospitality. On presenting the letter, 
everything Don Julian possessed was instantly 
thrown at my feet; but out of the magnificent 
gift I only selected an armful of wood, from a 
large yardful, for our fire, and for which he 
charged me three rials, as well as three more 
for the use of an empty corral for the animals; 
we ourselves encamping outside his gate on the 
damp thawing snow, without receiving the 
ghost of an invitation to enter his house. 

We this day got a first glimpse of one of the 
spurs of the Rocky Mountains, appearing, far 
in the distance, white with snow. 

On the 20th we encamped in a pretty valley 
on the Rio Grande, under a high tabular bluff 
which overhangs the river on the western bank; 
and on the summit of which are the ruins of an 
old Indian village. About two miles from our 
camp was the Pueblo of San Felipe, a village 
of the tribe of Indians known as Pueblos, or 
Indios Manzos — half -civilized Indians. 

During the night our mulada, which was 
grazing at large in the prairie, was stampeded 
by the Indians. I was lying out some distance 
from the fire, when the noise of their thundering 
tread roused me, and, as they passed the fire 
at full gallop, I at once divined the cause. 



58 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Luckily for me, Panchito, my horse, wheeled 
out of the crowd, and, followed by his mules, 
galloped up to the fire, and came to me when I 
whistled; the remainder of the mulada continu- 
ing their flight. The next morning, two fine 
horses and three mules were missing, and, of 
course, were not recovered. 

The next day we encamped on Galisteo, a 
small stream coming from the mountains. We 
had now entered a wild broken country, covered 
with pine and cedar. A curious ridge runs from 
east to west, broken here and there by abrupt 
chasms, which exhibit its formation in alternate 
strata of shale and old red sandstone. There 
are here indications of coal, which are met 
along the whole of this ridge. We encamped 
on a bleak bluff, without timber or grass, which 
overlooked the stream. 

Late in the evening we heard the creaking of 
a wagon's wheels, and the "wo-ha" of the 
driver, as he urged his oxen up the sandy bluff. 
A wagon drawn by six yoke of oxen soon made 
its appearance, under the charge of a tall raw- 
boned Yankee. As soon as he had unyoked his 
cattle, he approached our fire, and, seating 
himself almost in the blaze, stretching his long 
legs at the same time into the ashes, he broke 
out with, "Cuss sich a darned country, I say! 
Wall, strangers, an ugly camp this, I swar; and 
what my cattle ull do I don't know, for they 



TRAVELLING WITH THE ENGINEERS 59 

have not eat since we put out of Santa Fe, and 
are darned near giv out, that's a fact; and thar's 
nothin' here for 'em to eat, surely. Wall, they 
must just hold on till to-morrow, for I have only 
got a pint of corn apiece for 'em to-night any- 
how, so there's no two ways about that. 
Strangers, I guess now you'll have a skillet 
among ye; if yer a mind to trade, I'll just have 
it right off; anyhow, I'll just borrow it to-night 
to bake my bread, and, if yer wish to trade, 
name your price. Cuss sich a darned country, 
say I! Jist look at them oxen, wull ye! — they've 
nigh upon two hundred miles to go; for I'm 
bound to catch up the sogers afore they reach 
the Pass, and there's not a go in 'em." 

** Well, "I ventured to put in, feeling for the poor 
beasts, which were still yoked and standing in the 
river completely done up, "would it not be as well 
for you to feed them at once and let them rest.'^" 

"Wall, I guess if you'll some of you lend me a 
hand, I'll fix 'em right off; tho', darn em' they've 
giv me a pretty darned lot of trouble, they have, 
darn em ! but the critters will have to eat, I b'lieve." 

I willingly lent him the aid he required, and 
also added to their rations some corn which 
my animals, already full, were turning up their 
noses at, and which the oxen greedily devoured. 
This done he returned to the fire and baked his 
cake, fried his bacon, and made his coffee, his 
tongue all the while keeping up an incessant 



60 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

clack. This^ man^ was by himself, having a 
journey of two hundred miles before him, and 
twelve oxen and his wagon to look after: but 
dollars, dollars, dollars was all he thought of. 
Everything he saw lying about he instantly 
seized, wondered what it cost, what it was 
worth, offered to trade for it or anything else by 
which he might turn a penny, never waiting 
for an answer, and rattling on, eating, drinking, 
and talking without intermission; and at last, 
gathering himself up, said, "Wall, I guess I'll 
turn into my wagon now, and some of you will, 
may be, give a look round at the cattle every 
now and then, and I'll thank you:" and saying 
this, with a hop, step, and a jump, was inside 
his wagon and snoring in a couple of minutes. 
We broke up our camp at daybreak, leaving 
our friend "wo-ha-ing" his cattle through the 
sandy bottom, and "cussing the darned coun- 
try" at every step. We crossed several ridges 
clothed with cedars, but destitute of grass or 
other vegetation; and passing over a dismal 
plain descended into a hollow, where lay, at the 
bottom of a pine-covered mountain, the miser- 
able mud-built Santa Fe; and shortly after, 
wayworn and travel-stained, and my poor 
animals in a condition which plainly showed that 
they had seen some hard service, we entered the 
city, after a journey of not much less than two 
thousand miles. 



CHAPTER IV 

Land of the Pueblos 

SANTA FE, the capital of the province of 
Nuevo Mejico, contains about three thou- 
sand inhabitants, and is situated about 
fourteen miles from the left bank of the Del 
Norte, at the foot of a mountain forming one 
of the eastern chain of the Rocky Mountains. 
The town is a wretched collection of mud- 
houses, without a single building of stone, al- 
though it boasts a palacio — as the adobe resi- 
dence of the Governor is called — a long low 
building, taking up the greater part of one side 
of the plaza or public square, round which runs 
a portal or colonnade supported by pillars of 
rough pine. The appearance of the town defies 
description, and I can compare it to nothing but 
a dilapidated brick-kiln or a prairie-dog town. 
The inhabitants are worthy of their city, and a 
more miserable, vicious-looking population it 
would be impossible to imagine. Neither was 
the town improved, at the time of my visit, by 
the addition to the population of some three 
thousand Americans, the dirtiest, rowdiest crew 

I have ever seen collected together. 

61 



62 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Crowds of drunken volunteers filled the 
streets, brawling and boasting, but never 
fighting; Mexicans, wrapped in sarape, scowled 
upon them as they passed; donkey-loads of hoja 
— corn-shucks — were hawking about for sale; 
and Pueblo Indians and priests jostled the rude 
crowds of brawlers at every step. Under the 
portales were numerous monte-tables, sur- 
rounded by Mexicans and Americans. Every 
other house was a grocery, as they call a gin or 
whisky shop, continually disgorging reeling 
drunken men, and everywhere filth and dirt 
reigned triumphant. 

The extent of the province of New Mexico 
is difficult to define, as the survey of the northern 
sections of the republic has never been under- 
taken,* and a great portion of the country is still 
in the hands of the aborigines, who are at con- 
stant war with the Mexicans. It has been 
roughly estimated at 6,000 square miles, with 
a population of 70,000, including the three 
castes of descendants of the original settlers, 
Mestizos, and Indios Manzos or Pueblos; the 
Mestizos, as is the case throughout the country, 
bearing a large proportion to the Mexico- 
Spanish portion of the population — in this case 
as 50 to 1. 

The Pueblos, who are the original inhabitants 

* Lieutenant Abert, of the U. S. T. Engineers, surveyed the 
greater portion of New Mexico in 1846, 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 63 

of New Mexico, and, living in villages, are 
partially civilized, are the most industrious 
portion of the population, and cultivate the 
soil in a higher degree than the New Mexicans 
themselves. In these Indians, in their dwellings, 
their manners, customs, and physical character, 
may be traced a striking analogy to the Aztecans 
or ancient Mexicans. Their houses and villages 
are constructed in the same manner as, from 
existing ruins, we may infer that the Aztecans 
constructed theirs. These buildings are of two, 
three, and even five stories, without doors or 
any external communication, the entrance being 
at the top by means of ladders through a trap- 
door in the azotea or flat roof. The population 
of the different Pueblos scattered along the Del 
Norte and to the westward of it is estimated 
at 12,000, without including the Moquis, who 
have preserved their independence since the 
year 1680. 

The general character of the department is 
extreme aridity of soil, and the consequent 
deficiency of water, which must ever prevent 
its being thickly settled. The valley of the Del 
Norte is fertile, but of very limited extent; 
and other portions of the province are utterly 
valueless in an agricultural point of view, and 
their metallic wealth is greatly exaggerated. 
From association with the hardy trappers and 
pioneers of the far west, the New Mexicans have 



64 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

in some degree imbibed a portion of their 
enterprise and hardihood; for settlements have 
been pushed far into the Rocky Mountains, 
whose inhabitants are many of them expert 
buffalo-hunters and successful trappers of 
beaver. The most northern of these is on the 
Rio Colorado, or Red River Creek, an affluent 
of the Del Norte, rising in the eastern chain of 
the Rocky Mountains, one hundred miles north 
of Santa Fe. 

Of the many so-called gold-mines in New 
Mexico there is but one which has in any degree 
repaid the labor of working. This is El Real de 
Dolores, more commonly known as El Placer, 
situated eight leagues from Santa Fe, on the 
ridge of the Sierra Obscura. The gold is mostly 
found in what is technically called "dust," in 
very small quantities and with considerable 
labor. It has perhaps produced, since its 
discovery in 1828, 200,000 dollars, but it is very 
doubtful if any of these placers would repay the 
working on a large scale. 

It is a favorite idea with the New Mexicans 
that the Pueblo Indians are acquainted with the 
existence and localities of some prodigiously 
rich mines, which in the early times of the con- 
quest were worked by the Spaniards, at the 
expense of infinite toil and slavery on the part 
of the Indians; and that, fearing that such 
tyranny would be repeated if they were to dis- 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 65 

close their secret, they have ever since steadily 
refused to point them out. 

It is remarkable that, although existing, from 
the earliest times of the colonization of New 
Mexico, a period of two centuries, in a state of 
continual hostility with the numerous savage 
tribes of Indians who surround their territory, 
and in constant insecurity of life and property 
from their attacks — being also far removed 
from the enervating influences of large cities, 
and, in their isolated situation, entirely de- 
pendent upon their own resources — the in- 
habitants are totally destitute of those qualities 
which, for the above reasons, we might naturally 
have expected to distinguish them, and are as 
deficient in energy of character and physical 
courage, as they are in all the moral and in- 
tellectual qualities. In their social state but one 
degree removed from the veriest savages, they 
might take a lesson even from these in morality 
and the conventional decencies of life. Imposing 
no restraint on their passions, a shameless and 
universal concubinage exists, and a total dis- 
regard of moral laws, to which it would be im- 
possible to find a parallel in any country calling 
itself civilized. A want of honorable principle, 
and consummate duplicity and treachery, char- 
acterize all their dealings. Liars by nature, they 
are treacherous and faithless to their friends, 
cowardly and cringing to their enemies; cruel 



66 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

as all cowards are, they unite savage ferocity 
with their want of animal courage; as an ex- 
ample of which, their recent massacre of Gover- 
nor Bent and other Americans may be given — 
one of a hundred instances. 

I have before observed that a portion of the 
population of New Mexico consists of Indians, 
called Pueblos, from the fact of their living in 
towns, who are in a semi-civilized state, and in 
whose condition may be traced an analogy to 
the much exaggerated civilization of the ancient 
Mexicans. It is well known that, in the tradi- 
tions of that people, the Aztecs migrated from 
the north, from regions beyond the Gila, where 
they made the first of their three great halts; 
but it is generally supposed that no traces of 
their course, or former habitation, existed to the 
northward of this river. In the country of the 
Navajos, as well as in the territories of the 
independent Moqui, are still discoverable traces 
of their residence, and, as I have before re- 
marked, the Pueblo Indians construct and in- 
habit houses and villages of the same form and 
material as the casas grandes [great houses] 
of the ancient Mexicans; retain many of their 
customs and domestic arts, as they have been 
handed down to us, and numerous traces of a 
common origin. 

Amongst many of the religious forms still 
retained by these people, perhaps the most 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 67 

interesting is the perpetuation of the holy fire, 
by the side of which the Aztecs kept a con- 
tinual watch for the return to earth of Quetzal- 
coatl — the god of air — who, according to their 
tradition, visited the earth, and instructed the 
inhabitants in agriculture and other useful arts. 
During his sojourn he caused the earth to yield 
tenfold productions, without the necessity of 
human labor: everywhere corn, fruit and flowers 
delighted the eye; the cotton-plant produced 
its woof already dyed by nature with various 
hues; aromatic odors pervaded the air; and on 
all sides resounded the melodious notes of 
singing-birds. The lazy Mexican naturally 
looks back to this period as the *'golden age"; 
and as this popular and beneficent deity, on his 
departure from earth, promised faithfully to 
return and revisit the people he loved so well, 
this event is confidently expected to the present 
day. Quetzalcoatl embarked, in his boat of 
rattlesnake-skins, on the Gulf of Mexico; and as 
he was seen to steer to the eastward, his arrival 
is consequently looked for from that quarter. 
When the Spaniards arrived from the east, as 
they resembled the god in the color of their 
skin, they were at first generally supposed to be 
messengers from, or descendants of, the god of 
air. 

This tradition is common to the nations even 
of the far-off north, and in New Mexico the 



68 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

belief is still clung to by the Pueblo Indians, 
who in a solitary cave of the mountains have 
for centuries continued their patient vigils by 
the undying fire; and its dim light may still be 
seen by the wandering hunter glimmering from 
the recesses of a cave, when, led by the chase, 
he passes in the vicinity of this humble and 
lonely temple. 

Far to the north, in the country of the Mo- 
quis, the hunters have passed, wonderingly, 
ruins of large cities, and towns inhabited by 
Indians, of the same construction as those of the 
Pueblos, and identical with the casas grandes 
on the Gila and elsewhere. 

In the absence of any evidence, traditionary 
or otherwise, on which to found an hypothesis 
as to the probable cause of the migration of the 
Mexicans from the north, I have surmised that 
it is just possible that they may have abandoned 
that region on account of the violent volcanic 
convulsions which, from the testimony of people 
who have visited these regions, I have no doubt 
have at a comparatively recent period agitated 
that portion of the country; and from my own 
knowledge the volcanic formations become 
gradually more recent as they advance to the 
north along the whole table-land from Mexico to 
Santa Fe. These disturbances may have led 
to their frequent changes of residence, and 
ultimate arrival in the south. If their object 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 69 

was to fly from such constantly recurring com- 
motions, their course would naturally be to the 
south, where they might expect a genial soil 
and climate, in a direction in which they might 
also avoid the numerous and warlike nations 
who inhabited the regions south of their aban- 
doned country. Thus we find the remains of the 
towns built in the course of their migration, 
generally in insulated spots of fertility, oases 
in the vast and barren tracts they were obliged 
to traverse, which spread from the shores of the 
great salt-lake of the north towards the valley 
of the Gila, and still southward along the ridges 
of the Cordillera, which, a continuation of the 
Andes chain, stretch far away to the southern 
portion of the country. 

The Indians of Northern Mexico, including 
the Pueblos, belong to the same family — the 
Apache; from which branch the Navajos, 
Apaches Coyoteros, Mescaleros, Moquis, Yubi- 
pias, Maricopas, Chiricaquis, Chemeguabas, 
Yumayas (the last two tribes of the Moqui), 
and the Nijoras, a small tribe on the Gila. All 
these speak dialects of the same language, more 
or less approximating to the Apache, and of all 
*of which the idiomatic structure is the same. 
They likewise all understand each other's tongue. 
What relation this language bears to the Mexican 
is unknown, but my impression is that it will be 
found to assimilate greatly, if not to be identical. 



70 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The Pueblo Indians of Taos, Pecuris, and 
Acoma speak a language of which a dialect is 
used by those of the Rio Aba jo, including the 
Pueblos of San Felipe, Sandia, Ysleta, and 
Xemez. They are eminently distinguished from 
the New Mexicans in their social and moral 
character, being industrious, sober, honest, 
brave, and at the same time peaceably inclined 
if their rights are not infringed. Although the 
Pueblos are nominally Cristianos, and have 
embraced the outward forms of la santa fe 
Catolica, they yet, in fact, still cling to the 
belief of their fathers, and celebrate in secret 
the ancient rites of their religion. The aged and 
devout of both sexes may still be often seen on 
their flat house-tops, with their faces turned to 
the rising sun, and their gaze fixed in that direc- 
tion from whence they expect, sooner or later, 
the god of air will make his appearance. They 
are careful, however, not to practise any of 
their rites before strangers, and ostensibly con- 
form to the ceremonies of the Roman Church. 

In the country of the Moquis are the remains 
of five cities of considerable extent, the founda- 
tions and some of the walls of which (of stone) 
are still standing, and on the sites of some they 
still inhabit villages, the houses of which are 
frequently built of the materials found amongst 
the ruins. A great quantity of broken pottery 
is found wherever these remains exist, the same 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 71 

in form and material as the relics of the same 
kind preserved in the city of Mexico. The ruins 
on the Gila, in particular, abound in these re- 
mains, and I have been assured that for many 
miles the plain is strewed with them. There are 
also remains of acequias, or irrigating canals, 
of great length and depth. 

The five pueblos in the Moqui are Orayxa, 
Masanais, Jongoapi, Gualpi, and another, the 
name of which is not known. This tribe is, 
curiously enough, known to the trappers and 
hunters of the mountains as the Welsh Indians. 
They are, they say, much fairer in complexion 
than other tribes, and have several individuals 
amongst them perfectly white, with light hair. 
The latter circumstance is accounted for by the 
frequent occurrence amongst the Navajos, and 
probably the Moquis also, of albinos, with the 
Indian feature, but light complexions, eyes, and 
hair. 

In connection with this, I may mention a 
curious circumstance which happened to me, 
and tends to show that there is some little 
foundation for the belief of the trappers, that 
the Moqui Indians are descendants of the fol- 
lowers of Prince Madoc. 

I happened on my arrival at the frontier of 
the United States (at Fort Leavenworth) to 
enter the log hut of an old negro woman, 
being at the time in my mountain attire of 



72 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

buckskins, over which was thrown a Moqui or 
Navajo blanket, as it was wet weather. The 
old dame's attention was called to it by its 
varied and gaudy colors, and, examining it 
carefully for some time, she exclaimed, **That's 
a Welsh blanket; I know it by the woof!" She 
had, she told me, in her youth, lived for many 
years in a Welsh family and in a Welsh settle- 
ment in Virginia, or one of the southern States, 
and had learned their method of working, 
which was the same as that displayed in my 
blanket. The blankets and tilmas manufactured 
by the Navajos, Moquis, and the Pueblos are 
of excellent quality, and dyed in durable and 
bright colors: the warp is of cotton filled with 
wool, the texture close and impervious to rain. 
Their pottery is, as I have before remarked, the 
same as that manufactured by the Aztecs, 
painted in bright patterns by colored earths and 
the juice of several plants. The dress of the 
Pueblos is a mixture of their ancient costume 
with that introduced by the Spaniards. A tilmay 
or small blanket without sleeves, is worn over 
the shoulder, and their legs and feet are pro- 
tected by moccasins and leggings of deerskin 
or woollen stuff. Their heads are uncovered, and 
their hair long and unconfined, save the centre 
or scalp lock, which is usually bound with gay- 
colored ribbon. The women's dress is the same 
as that of the squaws of the wild Indians of the 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 73 

prairies, generally covered with a bright- 
colored blanket, or a mantle of cloth. 

The Pueblo Indians have been more than 
once the chief actors in the many insurrections 
which have disturbed this remote province. In 
1837 they overturned the government, killing 
the incapable man at the head of it, as they 
had done his predecessor, and placing one of 
their own party at the head of affairs. Recently 
they rose upon the Americans, who have taken 
possession of the country, and, in conjunction 
with the Mexicans, massacred Governor Bent 
and many others. They were defeated by the 
American troops in a pitched battle at La 
Canada, but defended most gallantly their chief 
pueblo (of Taos), which was taken and des- 
troyed after a desperate resistance. 

Although I had determined to remain some 
time in Santa Fe to recruit my animals, I was 
so disgusted with the filth of the town, and the 
disreputable society a stranger was forced into, 
that in a very few days I once more packed my 
mules, and proceeded to the north, through the 
valley of Taos. 

It was a cold, snowy day on which I left 
Santa Fe, and the mountain, although here of 
inconsiderable elevation, was difficult to cross 
on account of the drifts. My mules, too, were 
for the first time introduced to snow on a large 
scale, and, by their careful, mincing steps and 



74 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

cautious movements, testified their doubts as 
to the security of such a road. The mountain 
is covered with pine and cedar, and the road 
winds through the bed of an arroyo, between 
high banks now buried in the snow. Not a 
h'ving thing was visible, but once a large grey 
wolf was surprised on our turning a corner of 
rock, and in his hurry to escape plunged into a 
snowdrift, where I could easily have despatched 
the animal with a pistol, but Panchito was in 
such a state of affright that nothing would 
induce him to stand still or approach the spot. 

Over ridges and through mountain-gorges 
we passed into a small valley, where the pueblo 
of Ohuaqui afforded me shelter for the night, 
and a warm stable with plenty of corn for my 
animals, a luxury they had long been unac- 
customed to. 

I was here made welcome by the Indian 
family, who prepared my supper of frijoles and 
atole, the last the dish of New Mexico. It is 
made of the Indian meal, mixed with water into 
a thick gruel, and thus eaten — an insipid com- 
pound. Far more agreeable is the pinole of the 
tierra afuera [countryside], which is the meal of 
parched maize, mixed with sugar and spices, 
and of which a handful in a pint of water makes 
a most cooling and agreeable drink, and is the 
great standby of the arrieros and road-travellers 
in that starving country. 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 75 

The patrona of the family seemed rather shy 
of me at first, until, in the course of conversa- 
tion, she discovered that I was an Englishman. 
*'Gracias a Dios,'^ she exclaimed, "a Chris- 
tian will sleep with us to-night, and not an 
American!" 

I found over all New Mexico that the most 
bitter feeling and most determined hostility 
existed against the Americans, who certainly in 
Santa Fe and elsewhere have not been very 
anxious to conciliate the people, but by their 
bullying and overbearing demeanor towards 
them, have in a great measure been the cause 
of this hatred, which shortly after broke out in 
an organized rising of the northern part of the 
province, and occasioned great loss of life to 
both parties. 

After supper the women of the family spread 
the floor with blankets, and every one, myself 
included, cigar in mouth, lay down — ^to the 
number of fifteen — in a space of less than that 
number of square feet; men, women, and 
children, all smoking and chattering. Just 
over my head were roosting several fowls; and 
one venerable cock every five minutes saluted 
us with a shrill crow, to the infinite satisfaction 
of the old Indian, who at every fresh one ex- 
claimed, ^'Ay, como cant a mi gallo, tan claro! — 
how clear sings my cock, the fine fellow!" 



76 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

**Valgame DiosI que paxarito tan hermoso! — 
what a lovely little bird is this !" 

The next day, passing the miserable village 
of La Canada, and the Indian pueblo of San 
Juan, both situated in a wretched, sterile- 
looking country, we reached El Embudo — the 
funnel — where I put up in the house of an old 
Canadian trapper, who had taken to himself a 
Mexican wife, and was ending his days as a 
quiet ranchero. He appeared to have forgotten 
the plenty of the mountains, for his pretty 
daughter set before us for supper a plate con- 
taining six small pieces of fat pork, like dice, 
floating in a sea of grease, hot and red with 
chile Colorado. 

We crossed, next day, a range of mountains 
covered with pine and cedar: on the latter grew 
great quantities of mistletoe, and the contrast 
of its bright green and the sombre hue of the 
cedars was very striking. The snow was melting 
on the ascent, which was exposed to the sun, 
and made the road exceedingly slippery and 
tiring to the animals. On reaching the summit 
a fine prospect presented itself. The Rocky 
Mountains, stretching away on each side of 
me, here divided into several branches, whose 
isolated peaks stood out in bold relief against 
the clear, cold sky. Valleys and plains lay be- 
tween them, through which the river wound 
its way in deep caiions. In the distance was 



LAND OF THE PUEBLOS 77 

the snowy summit of the Sierra Nevada, 
bright with the rays of the setting sun, and at 
my feet lay the smiHng vale of Taos, with its 
numerous villages and the curiously con- 
structed pueblos of the Indians. Snow-covered 
mountains surrounded it, whose ridges were 
flooded with light, while the valley was almost 
shrouded in gloom and darkness. 

On descending I was obliged to dismount and 
lead my horse, whose feet, balled with snow, 
were continually slipping from under him. 
After sunset the cold was intense, and, wading 
through the snow, my moccasins became 
frozen, so that I was obliged to travel quickly 
to prevent my feet from being frost-bitten. 
It was quite dark when I reached the plain, and 
the night was so obscure that the track was 
perfectly hidden, and my only guide was the 
distant lights of the villages. Coming to a 
frozen brook, the mules refused to cross the 
ice, and I spent an hour in fruitless attempts to 
induce them. I could find nothing at hand with 
which to break the ice, and at length, half 
frozen, was obliged to turn back and retrace 
my steps to a rancho, which the Indian boy who 
was my guide said was about a mile distant. 
This I at length reached, though not before one 
of my feet was frost-bitten, and my hands so 
completely numbed by the excessive cold that 
I was unable to unpack the mules when I got 



7 8 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

in. To protect the poor animals from the cold, 
as there was no stable to place them in, I 
devoted the whole of my bedding to cover them, 
reserving to myself only a sarape, which, how- 
ever, by the side of a blazing wood fire, was 
suflScient to keep me warm. The good lady of 
J:he house sent me a huge bowl of atole as I was 
engaged in clothing the animals, which I 
offered to Panchito as soon as the messenger's 
back was turned, and he swallowed it, boiling 
hot as it was, with great gusto. 

The next morning, with the assistance of 
some rancheros, I crossed the stream, and 
arrived at Fernandez, which is the most con- 
siderable village in the valley. 



CHAPTER V 

Mexican Gratitude 

EL VALLE DE TAOS is situated about 
eighty miles to the northward of Santa 
Fe, on the eastern side of the Del Norte. 
It contains several villages or rancherias, the 
largest of which are Fernandez and El Rancho. 
The population of the valley may be estimated 
at eight thousand, including the Pueblo Indians. 
The soil is exceedingly fertile, and produces 
excellent wheat and other grain. The climate 
being rigorous, and the summers short, fruit 
does not ripen to perfection, but vegetables 
of all kinds are good and abundant, onions in 
particular growing to great size and of excellent 
flavor. The climate is colder than at Santa Fe, 
the thermometer sometimes falling to zero in 
winter, and seldom rising above 75° in summer; 
the nights in summer being delightfully cool, 
but in winter piercingly cold. Although gener- 
ally healthy, infectious disorders are sometimes 
prevalent and fatal; and periodical epidemics 
have on several occasions nearly decimated the 
inhabitants. 

In all maps the valley of Taos is confounded 
79 



80 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

with a city which under that name appears 
in them, but which does not exist, Fernandez 
being the chief town of the valley, and no such 
town as Taos to be found. The valley derives 
its name from the Taoses, a tribe of Indians 
who once inhabited it, and the remains of which 
inhabit a pueblo under the mountain about 
seven miles from Fernandez. Humboldt men- 
tions Taos as a city containing 8,900 inhabitants. 
Its latitude is about 36° 30', longitude between 
105° 30' and 106° west of Greenwich, but its 
exact position has never been accurately deter- 
mined. The extent of the valley from El 
Rancho to Arroyo Hondo is seventeen miles, 
the breadth from the Del Norte to the moun- 
tains about the same. 

Several distilleries are worked both at Fer- 
nandez and El Rancho, the latter better known 
to Americans as The Ranch. Most of them 
belong to Americans, who are generally trappers 
and hunters, who having married Taos women 
have settled here. The Taos whisky, a raw 
fiery spirit which they manufacture, has a 
ready market in the mountains amongst the 
trappers and hunters, and the Indian traders, 
who find the "fire-water" the most profitable 
article of trade with the aborigines, who 
exchange for it their buffalo robes and other 
peltries at a "tremendous sacrifice." 

In Fernandez I was hospitably entertained 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 81 

in the house of an American named Lee, who 
had for many years traded and trapped in the 
mountains, but who now, having married a 
Mexican woman, had set up a distillery and was 
amassing a considerable fortune. He gave me a 
pressing invitation to stop the winter with him, 
which I was well inclined to accept, if I could 
have obtained good pasture for my animals; 
that, however, was not to be had, and I con- 
tinued my journey. A few days after my 
departure, Lee's house was attacked by the 
Mexicans, at the time when they massacred 
Governor Bent in the same village, and himself 
killed, with every foreigner in the place except- 
ing the brother of Lee, who was protected by 
the priest and saved by him from the savage 
fury of the mob. 

Bent, as well as Lee, had resided many years 
in New Mexico, both having wives and children 
in the country, and were supposed to have been 
much esteemed by the people. The former was 
an old trader amongst the Indians, and the 
owner of Bent's Fort, or Fort William, a trading- 
post on the Arkansa, well known for its hospi- 
tality to travellers in the far west. From his 
knowledge of the country and the Mexican 
character, Mr. Bent had been appointed Gov- 
ernor of New Mexico by General Kearney, 
and it was during a temporary visit to his 
family at Fernandez that he was killed in their 



82 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

presence, and scalped and mutilated, by a mob 
of Pueblos and the people of Taos.* 

William Bent was one of those hardy sons 
of enterprise with whom America abounds, who, 
from love of dangerous adventure, forsake the 
quiet monotonous life of the civilized world for 
the excitement of a sojourn in the far west. 
For many years he traded with Indians on the 
Platte and Arkansa, winning golden opinions 
from the poor Indians for his honesty and fair 
dealing, and the greatest popularity from the 
hardy trappers and mountaineers for his firm- 
ness of character and personal bravery. 

Notwithstanding the advice I received not to 
attempt such a journey at this season, I de- 
termined to cross the mountains and winter on the 
other side, either at the head of Arkansa or Platte, 
or in some of the mountain valleys, which are the 
wintering places of many of the trappers and 
mountain-men. I therefore hired a half-breed 
Pueblo as a guide, who, by the by, was one of the 
most rascally -looking of rascally Mexicans, and 
on the 1st of January was once more on my way. 

* Charles Bent went to the Far West in 1828, over the Santa 
Fe trail. He entered into a business partnership with Col. Ceran 
St. Vrain which developed into one of the most important firms 
engaged in the fur trade. He was appointed Governor of New 
Mexico in September, 1846 On the early morning of January 
19, 1847, while visiting at Taos, he was attacked in his residence 
by a party of insurrectionists. While parleying with the mob, he 
was wounded and scalped alive. Covering his bleeding head 
with both hands, he tried to escape, but was shot dead at the 
feet of his wife and children. (Ed.) 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 83 

I left Fernandez late in the day, as I intended 
to proceed only twelve miles to Arroyo Hondo, 
and there remain for the night. After proceed- 
ing a mile or two we came to a stream about 
thirty feet in breadth and completely frozen. 
Here the mules came to a stop, and nothing 
would induce them to attempt to cross. Even 
the last resource, that of crossing myself on 
Panchito, and pretending to ride away with 
their favorite, entirely failed, although they ran 
up and down the bank bellowing with affright, 
smelling the ice, feeling it with their fore feet 
and, throwing up their heads, would gallop 
to another point, and up and down, in great 
commotion. At length I had to take a pole, 
which was opportunely lying near, and break 
the ice away, having to remove the broken 
blocks entirely before they would attempt it. 
With all this, however, my old hunting-mule 
still refused; but, as I knew she would not be 
left behind, I proceeded on with the rest. At 
this she became frantic, galloped away from the 
river, returned, bellowed and cried, and at 
last, driven to desperation, she made a jump 
right into the air, but not near the broken place, 
and came down like a lump of lead on the top 
of the ice, which, of course, smashed under her 
weight, and down she went into a deep hole, 
her head just appearing out of the water, which 
was "mush" with ice. In this "fix" she remained 



84 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

perfectly still, apparently conscious that her 
own exertions would be unavailing; and I 
therefore had to return, and, up to my middle 
in water, break her out of the ice, expecting 
every moment to see her drop frozen to death. 
At last, and with great labor, I extricated her, 
when she at once ran up to the horse and 
whinnied her delight at the meeting. 

By this time it was pitchy dark, and the cold 
had become intense; my moccasins and deer- 
skin leggings were frozen hard and stiff, and my 
feet and legs in a fair way of becoming in the 
same state. There w^as no road or track, the 
snow everywhere covering the country, and 
my guide had evidently lost his way. However, 
I asked him in which direction he thought 
Arroyo Hondo to be, and pushed straight on 
for it, floundering through the snow, and falling 
into holes and ravines, and at length was 
brought to a dead halt, my horse throwing 
himself on his haunches, and just saving his 
master and himself a fall down a precipice some 
500 feet in depth, which formed one side of the 
Arroyo Hondo. 

The lights of the rancho to which we were 
bound twinkled at the bottom, but to attempt 
to reach it, without knowing the road down the 
ravine, was like jumping from the top of the 
Monument. However, as I felt I was on the 
point of freezing to death, I became desperate 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 85 

and charged the precipice, intending to roll 
down with Panchito, if we could not do better; 
but the horse refused to move, and presently, 
starting to one side as I spurred him, fell head- 
long into a snow-drift some twenty feet in 
depth, where I lay under him; and, satisfied 
in my mind that I was "in extremis," wished 
myself further from Arroyo Hondo and de- 
plored my evil destiny. Panchito, however, 
managed to kick himself out; and I, half 
smothered and with one of my ribs disabled, 
soon followed his example, and again mounted. 
We presently came to a little adobe house, and 
a man, hearing our cries to each other in the 
dark, came out with a light. To my request for 
a night's lodging he replied, 'Wo se puede, no 
habia mas que un quartito'' — that there was 
no room, but one little chamber, but that at 
the rancho I would be well accommodated. 
With this hint I moved on, freezing in my sad- 
dle, and again attempted to descend, but the 
darkness was pitchy, and the road a wall. 
Whilst attempting the descent once more, a 
light appeared on the bank above us, and a 
female voice cried out, "Veulvase amigo, por 
Dios! que no se baja — return, friend, for God's 
sake! and don't attempt to go down." ''Que 
vengan, pobrecitos, para calentarse — come, poor 
fellows, and warm yourselves." ''Por hi se 
sube, por hi — this way, this is the way up" — she 



86 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

cried to us, holding up the light to direct our 
steps. *'Ay de mi, como suffren los pobres viageros! 
— alas, what poor travellers suffer!" — she 
exclaimed, eyeing our frozen appearance, and 
clothes white with snow; and, still holding up 
the light, she led the way to her house, where 
now, lectured by his wife for his inhospitality, 
the man who had sent us away from his door 
bestirred himself to unpack the mules, which, 
with our numbed hands, it was impossible 
for us to do. 

A little shed full of corn-shucks (the leaf of 
the maize, of which animals are very fond) 
provided a warm shelter for the shivering 
beasts; and having attended to their wants, and 
piled before them enough hoja for a regiment of 
cavalry, I entered the house, where half a dozen 
women were soon rubbing life into my hands 
and feet, which were badly frost-bitten, whilst 
others were busy preparing atole and chile, 
and making tortillas on the hearth. 

A white stone marks this day of my journey, 
when, for the first time, I met with native 
hospitality on Arroyo Hondo. In this family, 
which consisted of about fifteen souls, six were 
on their beds, suffering from sarampion — the 
measles — which was at the time of my journey 
carrying off many victims in Santa Fe and Taos 
Valley. An old crone was busy decocting 
simples in a large oUa over the fire. She asked 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 87 

me to taste it, giving it the name of aceite de 
vivoras — rattlesnake-oil; and as I expressed my 
disgust by word and deed at the intimation, 
which just saved my taking a gulp, the old lady 
was convulsed with laughter, giving me to 
understand that it was not really viper-oil, but 
was so called — no mas. This pot, when cooked, 
was set on one side, and all the patients, one 
after the other, crawled from their blankets and 
imbibed the decoction from a gourd. One of 
the sick was the mother of the family, who had 
run after us to bring us back when her husband 
had told her of our situation — one instance of 
the many which I have met of the kindness of 
heart of Mexican women. 

The next morning we descended into the 
Arroyo. Even in daylight the track down was 
exceedingly dangerous, and to have attempted 
it in the dark would have been an act of no 
little temerity. On the other bank of the stream 
was situated a mill and distillery belonging to 
an American by the name of Turley, who had 
quite a thriving establishment. Sheep. and 
goats, and innumerable hogs, ran about the 
corral; his barns were filled with grain of all 
kinds, his mill with flour, and his cellars with 
whisky "in galore." Everything about the place 
betokened prosperity. Rosy children, uniting 
the fair complexions of the Anglo-Saxon with 
the dark tint of the Mexican, gambolled before 



88 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the door. The Mexicans and Indians at work 
in the yard were stout, well-fed fellows, looking 
happy and contented; as well they might, for 
no one in the country paid so well, and fed so 
well, as Turley, who bore the reputation, far 
and near, of being as generous and kind- 
hearted as he was reported to be rich. In times 
of scarcity no Mexican ever besought his as- 
sistance and went away empty-handed. His 
granaries were always open to the hungry, and 
his purse to the poor. 

Three days after I was there they attacked 
his house, burned his mill, destroyed his grain 
and his live stock, and inhumanly butchered 
himself and the foreigners with him, after a 
gallant defence of twenty-four hours — nine 
men against five hundred. Such is Mexican 
gratitude. 

I here laid in a small supply of provisions, 
flour and dried buffalo-meat, and got besides a 
good breakfast — rather a memorable occurrence. 
Just as I arrived, a party of Mormons, who had 
left Colonel Cooke's command on their way to 
California, and were now about to cross the 
mountains to join a large body of their people 
who were wintering on the Arkansa, intending 
to proceed to California in the ensuing spring, 
were on the point of starting. There were some 
twelve or fifteen of them, raw-boned fanatics, 
with four or five pack-mules carrying their 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 89 

provisions, themselves on foot/ They started 
several hours before me; but I overtook them 
before they crossed the mountain, straggling 
along, some seated on the top of the mules' 
packs, some sitting down every few hundred 
yards, and all looking tired and miserable. One 
of the party was an Englishman, from Bidden- 
den, in Kent, and an old Peninsular soldier. I 
asked what could have induced him to have 
undertaken such an expedition. He looked at 
me, and, without answering the question, said, 
"Dang it, if I only once get hoam!" 

Arroyo Hondo runs along the base of a ridge 
of mountain of moderate elevation, which 
divides the valley of Taos from that of Rio 
Colorado, or Red River, both running into the 
Del Norte. The trail from one to the other 
runs through and over the mountain, a distance 
of about twelve miles. It is covered with pine 
and cedar and a species of dwarf oak; and 
numerous small streamlets run through the 
canons and gorges. Near these grows plenti- 
fully a shrub which produces a fruit called by 
the mountaineers service-berry, of a dark blue, 
the size of a small grape, and of very pleasant 
flavor. 

My animals, unused to mountain travelling, 
proceeded very slowly. Every little stream of 
frozen water was the cause of delay. The mules, 
on reaching the brink, always held a council of 



90 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

war, smelt and tried it with their fore feet, and 
bellowed forth their dislike of the slippery 
bridge. Coronela, my hunting-mule, since her 
mishap at Fernandez, was always the first to 
cross, but I had first to strew the ice with 
branches, or throw a blanket over it, before I 
could induce them to pass; and at last, tired of 
the delays thus occasioned, I passed with the 
horse, and left the mules to use their own dis- 
cretion, although not unfrequently half an 
hour or more would elapse before they overtook 
me. 

All this day I marched on foot through the 
snow, as Panchito made sad work of ascending 
and descending the mountain, and it was 
several hours after sunset when I arrived at Rio 
Colorado, with one of my feet badly frozen. 
In the settlement, which boasted about twenty 
houses, on inquiry as to where I could procure a 
corral and hoja for the animals, I was directed 
to the house of a French Canadian — an old 
trapper named Laforey — one of the many who 
are found in these remote settlements, with 
Mexican wives, and passing the close of their 
adventurous lives in what to them is a state of 
ease and plenty; that is, they grow sufficient 
maize to support them, their faithful and well- 
tried rifles furnishing them with meat in 
abundance, to be had in all the mountains for 
the labor of hunting. 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 91 

I was obliged to remain here two days, for 
my foot was so badly frozen that I was quite 
unable to put it to the ground. In this place 
I found that the Americans were in bad odor; 
and as I was equipped as a mountaineer, I came 
in for a tolerable share of abuse whenever I 
limped through the village. As my lameness 
prevented me from pursuing my tormentors, 
they were unusually daring, saluting me, every 
time I passed to the shed where my animals 
were corralled, with cries of *' Burro, burro, ven 
a comer hoja — ^Jackass, jackass, come here and 
eat shucks," *'Anda coxo, a ver los burros, sus 
hermanos — Hallo, game-leg, go and see your 
brothers, the donkeys;" and at last, words not 
being found heavy enough, pieces of adobe 
rattled at my ears. This, however, was a joke 
rather too practical to be pleasant; so, the next 
time I limped to the stable, I carried my rifle 
on my shoulder, which was a hint never to be 
mistaken by a Mexican, and hereafter I passed 
with impunity. However, I was obliged to 
watch my animals day and night, for, as soon 
as I fed them, either the corn was bodily stolen, 
or a herd of hogs was driven in to feed at my 
expensco The latter aggression I put a stop to 
by administering to one persevering porker a 
pill from my rifle, and promised the threatening 
crowd that I would have as little compunction 
in letting the same amount of daylight into 



92 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

them if I caught them thieving the provender; 
and they seemed to think me in earnest, for I 
missed no more corn or shucks. I saw plainly 
enough, however, that my remaining here, with 
such a perfectly lawless and ruffianly crew, was 
likely to lead me into some trouble, if, indeed, 
my life was not in absolute danger, which, from 
what occurred shortly after, I have now no 
doubt it was; and therefore I only waited until 
my foot was sufficiently recovered to enable me 
to resume my journey across the mountains. 

The fare in Laforey's house was what might 
be expected in a hunter's establishment: venison, 
antelope, and the meat of the carnero cimarron — 
the Rocky Mountain sheep — furnished his 
larder; and such meat (poor and tough at this 
season of the year), with cakes of Indian meal, 
either tortillas or gorditas,* furnished the daily 
bill of fare. The absence of coffee he made the 
theme of regret at every meal, bewailing his 
misfortune in not having at that particular 
moment a supply of this article, which he never 
before was without, and which I may here 
observe, amongst the hunters and trappers, 
when in camp or rendevous, is considered as an 
indispensable necessary. Coffee, being very 
cheap in the States, is the universal beverage 
of the western people, and finds its way to the 

* The tortilla is a round flat pancake, made of the Indian corn- 
meal; the gordita is of the same material, but thicker. 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 93 

mountains in the packs of the Indian traders, 
who retail it to the mountain-men at the 
moderate price of from two to six dollars the 
half -pint cup. However, my friend Laforey was 
never known to possess any, and his lamenta- 
tions were only intended to soften my heart, as 
he thought (erroneously) that I must certainly 
carry a supply with me. 

"Sacre enfant de Garce," he would exclaim, 
mixing English, French, and Spanish into a 
puchero-like jumble, "voyez-vous dat I vas 
nevare tan pauvre as dis time; mais before I vas 
siempre avec plenty cafe, plenty sucre; mais 
now, God dam, I not go a Santa Fe, God dam, 
and mountain-men dey come aqui from autre 
cote, drink all my cafe. Sacre enfant de 
Garce, nevare I vas tan pauvre as dis time, 
God dam. I not care comer meat, ni frijole, 
ni corn, mais widout cafe I no live. I hunt may 
be two, three day, may be one week, mais I 
eat notin'; mais sin cafe, eafant de Garce, I no 
live, parceque me not sacre Espagnol, mais one 
Frenchman." 

Rio Colorado is the last and most northern 
settlement of Mexico, and is distant from Vera 
Cruz 2000 miles. It contains perhaps fifteen 
families, or a population of fifty souls, including 
one or two Yuta Indians, by sufferance of whom 
the New Mexicans have settled this valley, thus 
ensuring to the politic savages a supply of 



94 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

corn or cattle without the necessity of under- 
taking a raid on Taos or Santa Fe whenever they 
require a remount. This was the reason given 
me by a Yuta for allowing the encroachment on 
their territory. 

The soil of the valley is fertile, the little strip 
of land which comprises it yielding grain in 
abundance, and being easily irrigated from the 
stream, the banks of which are low. The plain 
abounds with alegria, the plant from which the 
juice is extracted with which the belles of 
Nuevo Mejico cosmetically preserve their com- 
plexions. The neighboring mountains afford 
plenty of large game — deer, bears, mountain- 
sheep, and elk; and the plains are covered with 
countless herds of antelope, which, in the 
winter, hang about the foot of the sierras, which 
shield them from the icy winds. 

No state of society can be more wretched or 
degrading than the social and moral condition 
of the inhabitants of New Mexico: but in this 
remote settlement, anything I had formerly 
imagined to be the ne plus ultra of misery, fell 
far short of the reality : — such is the degradation 
of the people of the Rio Colorado. Growing a 
bare sufficiency for their own support, they 
hold the little land they cultivate, and their 
wretched hovels, on sufferance from the barbar- 
ous Yutas, who actually tolerate their presence 
in their country for the sole purpose of having 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 95 

at their command a stock of grain and a herd 
of mules and horses, which they make no scruple 
of helping themselves to, whenever they re- 
quire a remount or a supply of farinaceous food. 
Moreover, when a war expedition against a 
hostile tribe has failed, and no scalps have been 
secured to ensure the returning warriors a 
welcome to their village, the Rio Colorado is a 
kind of game-preserve, where the Yutas have 
a certainty of filling their bag if their other 
covers draw blank. Here they can always 
depend upon procuring a few brace of Mexican 
scalps, when such trophies are required for a 
war-dance or other festivity, without danger 
to themselves, and merely for the trouble of 
fetching them. 

Thus, half the year, the settlers fear to leave 
their houses, and their corn and grain often 
remain uncut, the Indians being near: thus the 
valiant Mexicans refuse to leave the shelter of 
their burrows even to secure their only food. 
At these times their sufferings are extreme, they 
being reduced to the verge of starvation; and 
the old Canadian hunter told me that he 
and his son entirely supported the people on 
several occasions by the produce of their rifles, 
while the maize was lying rotting in the fields. 
There are sufficient men in the settlement to 
exterminate the Yutas, were they not entirely 
devoid of courage; but, as it is, they allow 



96 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

themselves to be bullied and ill-treated with the 
most perfect impunity. 

Against these same Indians a party of a dozen 
Shawnee and Delaware trappers waged a long 
and most destructive war, until at last the Yutas 
were fain to beg for peace, after losing many 
of their most famous warriors and chiefs. The 
cowardly Mexicans, however, have seldom 
summoned courage to strike a blow in their 
own defence, and their savage enemies so 
thoroughly despise them that they never 
scruple to attack them, however large the party, 
or in spite of the greatest disparity in numbers 
between them. 

On the third day, the inflammation in my 
frost-bitten foot having in some measure sub- 
sided, I again packed my mules, and, under a 
fusillade of very hard names from the pelados, 
turned my back on Mexico and the Mexicans. 

Laforey escorted me out of the settlement to 
point out the trail (for roads now had long 
ceased), and bewailing his hard fate in not 
having "plenty cafe, avec sucre, God dam," 
with a concluding enfant de Garce, he bid me 
good bye, and recommended me to mind my 
hair — in other words, look out for my scalp. 
Cresting a bluff which rose from the valley, I 
turned in my saddle, took a last look of the 
adobes, and, without one regret, cried "Adios, 
Mejico!" 



MEXICAN GRATITUDE 97 

I had now turned my back on the last settle- 
ment, and felt a thrill of pleasure as I looked at 
the wild expanse of snow which lay before me, 
and the towering mountains which frowned on 
all sides, and knew that now I had seen the last 
(for some time at least) of civilized man imder 
the garb of a Mexican sarape. 



CHAPTER VI 

Into the Mountains 

OUR course on leaving Red River was due 
north, my object being to strike the 
Arkansa near its head-waters on the 
other side of the Rocky Mountains, and follow 
as near as possible the Yuta trail, which these 
Indians use in passing from the Del Norte to 
the Bayou Salado,* on their annual buffalo- 
hunts to that elevated valley. 

Skirting a low range of mountains, the trail 
passes a valley upwards of fifty miles in length, 
intersected by numerous streams (called creeks 
by the mountain-men), which rise in the neigh- 
boring highlands, and fall into the Del Norte, 
near its upper waters. Our first day's journey, 
of about twenty-five miles, led through the up- 
lands at the southern extremity of the valley. 
These are covered with pine and cedar, and the 
more open plains with bushes of wild sage, which 
is the characteristic plant in all the elevated 
plains of the Rocky Mountains. On emerging 
from the uplands, we entered a level prairie, 
covered with innumerable herds of antelope. 

* Now known as the South Park, Colorado. (Ed.) 
98 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 99 

These graceful animals, in bands containing 
several thousands, trotted up to us, and, with 
pointed ears and their beautiful eyes staring 
with eager curiosity, accompanied us for miles, 
running parallel to our trail within fifty or sixty 
yards. 

The cold of these regions is more intense than 
I ever remember to have experienced, not 
excepting even in Lower Canada; and when a 
northerly wind sweeps over the bleak and 
barren plains, charged as it is with its icy rein- 
forcements from the snow-clad mountains, it 
assails the unfortunate traveller, exposed to all 
its violence, with blood-freezing blasts, piercing 
to his very heart and bones. 

Such was the state of congelation I was in, on 
this day, that even the shot-tempting antelope 
bounded past unscathed. My hands, with 
fingers of stone, refused even to hold the reins 
of my horse, who travelled as he pleased, some- 
times slueing round his stern to wind, which was 
"dead ahead." Mattias, the half-breed who was 
my guide, enveloped from head to foot in 
blanket, occasionally cast a longing glance from 
out its folds at the provoking venison as it 
galloped past, muttering at intervals, *^ Jesus, 
Jesus, que came — what meat we're losing!" At 
length, as a band of some three thousand almost 
ran over us, human nature, although at freezing- 
point, could no longer stand it. I jumped off 



100 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Panchito, and, kneeling down, sent a ball from 
my rifle right into the "thick" of the band. At 
the report two antelopes sprang into the air, 
their forms being distinct against the horizon 
above the backs of the rest; and when the herd 
had passed, they were lying kicking in the dust, 
one shot in the neck, through which the ball 
had passed into the body of another. 

We packed a mule with the choice pieces 
of the meat, which was a great addition to our 
slender stock of dried provisions. As I was 
butchering the antelope, half a dozen wolves 
hung round the spot, attracted by the smell of 
blood; they were so tame, and hungry at the 
same time, that I thought they would actually 
have torn the meat from under my knife. Two 
of them loped round and round, gradually 
decreasing their distance, occasionally squatting 
on their haunches, and licking their impatient 
lips, in anxious expectation of a coming feast. 
I threw a large piece of meat towards them, 
when the whole gang jumped upon it, fighting 
and growling, and tearing each other in the 
furious melee. I am sure I might have ap- 
proached near enough to have seized one by the 
tail, so entirely regardless of my vicinity did 
they appear. They were doubtless rendered 
more ravenous than usual by the uncommon 
severity of the weather, and, from the fact of 
the antelope congregating in large bands, were 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 101 

unable to prey upon these animals, which are 
their favorite food. Although rarely attacking 
a man, yet in such seasons as the present I have 
no doubt that they would not hesitate to charge 
upon a solitary traveller in the night, particularly 
as in winter they congregate in troops of from 
ten to fifty. They are so abundant in the moun- 
tains, that the hunter takes no notice of them, 
and seldom throws away upon the skulking 
beasts a charge of powder and lead. 

This night we camped on Rib Creek, the 
Costilla of the New-Mexican hunters, where 
there was no grass for our poor animals, and the 
creek was frozen to such a depth, that, after the 
greatest exertions in breaking a hole through the 
ice, which was nearly a foot thick, they were 
unable to reach the water. 

It is a singular fact that during intense cold 
horses and mules suffer more from want of 
water than in the hottest weather, and often 
perish in the mountains when unable to procure 
it for two or three days in the frozen creeks. 
Although they made every attempt to drink, 
the mules actually kneeling in their endeavors 
to reach the water, I was obliged to give it 
them, one after the other, from a small tin cup 
which held half a pint, and from which the 
thirsty animals greedily drank. 

This tedious process occupied me more than 
an hour, after which there was another hour's 



102 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

work in hunting for wood, and packing it on our 
backs into camp. Before we had a fire going it 
was late in the night, and almost midnight before 
we had found a little grass and picketed the 
animals; all of which duties at last being 
effected, we cooked our collops of antelope- 
meat, smoked a pipe, and rolled ourselves in 
our blankets before the fire. All night long the 
camp was surrounded by wolves, which ap- 
proached within a few feet of the fire, and their 
eyes shone hke coals as they hovered in the 
bushes, attracted by the savory smell of the 
roasting venison. 

The next day we struck La Culebra, or Snake 
Creek, where we saw that the party of Mormons 
had encamped, and apparently halted a day, for 
more than ordinary pains had been taken to 
make their camp comfortable, and several piles 
of twigs, of the sage-bush and rushes, remained, 
of which they had made beds. However, we 
were obliged to go farther down the creek, as 
there was no firewood near the point where the 
trail crosses it, and there found a sheltered place 
with tolerable grass, and near an air-hole in the 
ice where the animals could drink. I remarked 
that in the vicinity of the Mormon camp no 
watering-place had been made for their animals, 
and, as we had seen no holes broken in the ice 
of the creeks we had passed, I concluded that 
these people had allowed their animals to shift 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 103 

for themselves, the consequences of which 
negligence were soon apparent in our farther 
advance. 

The cold was so intense that I blanketed all 
my animals, and even then expected that some 
of the mules would have perished; for it snowed 
heavily during the night, and the storm ended 
in a watery sleet, which froze as soon as it fell, 
and in the morning the animals were covered 
with a sheet of ice. We ourselves suffered 
extremely, turning constantly , and rolling almost 
into the embers of the scanty fire; and towards 
daybreak I really thought I should have frozen 
bodily. My bedding consisted of two blankets 
— one of them a very thin one, which was all I 
had between my body and the snow; and the 
other, first soaked with the sleet and afterwards 
frozen stiff and hard, was more like a board 
than a blanket, and was in that state no pro- 
tection against the cold. It is well known that 
the coldest period of the twenty-four hours is 
that immediately preceding the dawn of day. 
At this time one is generally awakened by the 
sensation of death-like chill, which penetrates 
into the very bones; and as the fire is by this 
time usually extinguished, or merely smoulder- 
ing in the ashes, the duty of replenishing is a 
very trying process. To creep out of the blanket 
and face the cutting blast requires no little 
resolution; and, if there be more than one 



104 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

person in the camp, the horrible moment is put off 
by the first roused, in hopes that some one else will 
awaken and perform the duty. However, should 
the coughs and hems succeed in rousing all, it 
is ten to one but that all, with a blank look at 
the cheerless prospect, cover their heads with 
the blanket, and with a groan, cuddling into 
a ball, resettle themselves to sleep, leaving 
the most chilly victim to perform the office. 

The half-frozen animals, standing over their 
picket-pins and collapsed with cold, seem almost 
drawn within themselves, and occasionally 
approach the fire as close as their lariats will 
allow, bending down their noses to the feeble 
warmth, the breath in steaming volumes of 
cloud issuing from their nostrils, whilst their 
bodies are thickly clad with a coat of frozen 
snow or sleet. 

Our next camp was on La Trinchera, or Bowl 
Creek. The country was barren and desolate, 
covered with sage, and with here and there a 
prairie with tolerable pasture. Antelope were 
abundant, and deer and turkeys were to be 
seen on the creeks. The trail passed, to the 
westward, a lofty peak, resembling in outline 
that one known as James's or Pike's Peak, which 
is some two hundred and fifty miles to the north. 
The former is not laid down in any of the maps, 
although it is a well-known landmark to the 
Indians. 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 105 

The creeks are timbered with cotton woods, 
quaking-asp, dwarf -oak, cedar, and wild cherry, 
all of small growth and stunted, while the up- 
lands are covered with a dwarfish growth of 
pines. From Rio Colorado we had been con- 
stantly followed by a large grey wolf. Every 
evening, as soon as we got into camp, he made 
his appearance, squatting quietly down at a 
little distance, and after we had turned in for 
the night helping himself to anything lying 
about. Our first acquaintance commenced on 
the prairie where I had killed the two antelope, 
and the excellent dinner he then made, on the 
remains of the two carcases, had evidently 
attached him to our society. In the morning, as 
soon as we left the camp, he took possession, and 
quickly ate up the remnants of our supper and 
some little extras I always took care to leave for 
him. Shortly after he would trot after us, and, 
if we halted for a short time to adjust the mule- 
packs or water the animals, he sat down 
quietly until we resumed our march. But when 
I killed an antelope, and was in the act of 
butchering it, he gravely looked on, or loped 
round and round, licking his jaws, and in a state 
of evident self-gratulation. I had him twenty 
times a day within reach of my rifle, but he 
became such an old friend that I never dreamed 
of molesting him. 

Our day's travel was usually from twenty to 



106 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

thirty miles, for the days were very short, and 
we were obhged to be in camp an hour before 
sunset, in order to procure wood, and water 
the animals before dark. Before arriving at 
the creek where we purposed to camp, I rode 
ahead, and selected a spot where was good grass 
and convenient water. We then unpacked the 
mules and horses, and immediately watered 
them, after which we allowed them to feed at 
large until dark. In the mean time we hunted 
for fire-wood, having sometimes to go half a 
mile from camp, packing it on our shoulders to 
the spot we intended for our fire, the mule- 
packs and saddles, &c., being placed to wind- 
ward of it as a protection from the cold blasts. 
We then cooked supper, and at dark picketed 
the animals round the camp, their lariats (or 
skin-ropes) being attached to pegs driven in the 
ground. After a smoke, we spread our blankets 
before the fire and turned in, rising once or 
twice in the night to see that all was safe, and 
remove the animals to fresh grass when they 
had cleared the circle round their pickets. 
Guard or watch we kept none, for after a long 
day's travel it was too much for two of us to 
take alternate sentry, thus having but half the 
night for sleep. 

We were now approaching a part of the 
journey much dreaded by the Indians and New- 
Mexican buffalo-hunters, and which is quite 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 107 

another *^ Jornada del MuertOf^' or dead man's 
journey. A creek called Sangre Cristo — blood 
of Christ — winds through a deep canon, which 
opens out at one point into a small circular 
basin called El Vallecito — the little valley. It 
is quite embosomed in the mountains; and 
down their rugged sides, and through the deep 
gorges, the wind rushes with tremendous fury, 
filling the valley with drifted snow, and de- 
positing it in the numerous hollows with which 
it is intersected. This renders the passage of 
the Vallecito exceedingly difficult and danger- 
ous, as animals are frequently buried in the 
snow, which is sometimes fifteen or twenty 
feet deep in the hollows, and four.or fivej)n the 
level. \ 

This valley is also called by the niountaineers 
the "Wind-trap;" a very appropriate name, as 
the wind seems to be caught and pent up here 
the year round, and, mad with the confinement, 
blows round and round, seeking for an escape. 

Wishing to have my animals fresh for the 
passage of this dreaded spot, I this day made a 
short journey of fifteen miles, and camped in the 
canon about three miles from the mouth of the 
Wind-trap. The canon was so precipitous that 
the only place I could find for our camp was on 
the side of the mountain, where was tolerably 
good gramma-grass, but a wretched place for 
ourselves; and we had to burrow out a level 



V 



108 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

spot in the snow before we could place the packs 
in a position where they would not roll down the 
hill. The cedars were few and far between, and 
the snow covered everything in the shape of 
wood; and as in our last camp my tomahawk 
had been lost in the snow, I was unable to 
procure a log, and was fain to set fire to a cedar 
near which we had laid our packs. The flame, 
licking the stringy and dry bark, quickly ran up 
the tree, blazed along the branches in a roar 
of fire, illuminating the rugged mountain, and 
throwing its light upon the thread of timber 
skirting the creek which wound along the bot- 
tom far beneath. 

All night long the wind roared through the 
canon, and at times swept the blankets from 
our chilled bodies with the force of a giant. 
The mules and horses after dark refused to feed, 
and, as there was no spot near where we could 
picket them, the poor beasts sought shelter 
from the cruel blasts in the belt of dwarf oak 
which fringed the creek. 

We passed a miserable night, perched upon 
the mountain-side in our lonely camp, and with- 
out a fire, for the tree was soon consumed. Our 
old friend the wolf, however, was still a com- 
panion, and sat all night within sight of the 
fire, howling piteously from cold and hunger. 
The next morning I allowed the animals a 
couple of hours after sunrise to feed and fill 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 109 

themselves; and then, descending from our 
camp, we entered at once the pass into the 
dreaded Vallecito. A few hundred yards from 
the entrance lay a frozen mule, half-buried in 
the snow; and a little farther on another, close 
to the creek where the Mormons had evidently 
encamped not two days before. 

The Vallecito was covered with snow to the 
depth of three feet, to all appearance perfectly 
level, but in fact full of hollows, with fifteen or 
twenty feet of snow in them. With the 
greatest difficulty and labor we succeeded in 
crossing, having to dismount and beat a path 
through the drifts with our bodies. The 
pack-mules were continually falling, and were 
always obliged to be unpacked before they 
could rise. As this happened every score 
yards, more than half the day was consumed in 
traversing the valley, which cannot exceed four 
miles in length. 

The mountain rises directly from the north 
end of the Vallecito, and is the dividing ridge 
between the waters of the Del Norte and the 
Arkansa or Rio Napeste of the Mexicans. The 
ascent to the summit, from the western side, 
is short, but very steep; and the snow was of 
such a depth that the mules could hardly make 
their way to the top. Leading my horse by 
the bridle, I led the way, and at length, numbed 
with cold, I reached the summit, where is a 



110 WILDLIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

level plateau of about a hundred square yards. 
Attaining this, and exposed to the full sweep 
of the wind, a blast struck me, carrying with it 
a perfect avalanche of snow and sleet, full in my 
front, and knocked me as clean off my legs as I 
could have been floored by a twenty-four pound 
shot. 

The view from this point was wild and dismal 
in the extreme. Looking back, the whole 
country was covered with a thick carpet of snow, 
but eastward it was seen in patches only here 
and there. Before me lay the main chain of the 
Rocky Mountains, Pike's Peak lifting its 
snowy head far above the rest; and to the south- 
east the Spanish Peaks (Cumbres Espanolas) 
towered like twin giants over the plains. Be- 
neath the mountain on which I stood was a 
narrow valley, through which ran a streamlet 
bordered with dwarf oak and pine, and looking 
like a thread of silver as it wound through the 
plain. Rugged peaks and ridges, snow-clad and 
covered with pine, and deep gorges filled with 
broken rocks, everywhere met the eye. To the 
eastward the mountains gradually smoothed 
away into detached spurs and broken ground, 
until they met the vast prairies, which stretched 
far as the eye could reach, and hundreds of 
miles beyond — a sea of seeming barrenness, vast 
and dismal. A hurricane of wind was blowing 
at the time, and clouds of dust swept along the 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS HI 

sandy prairies, like the smoke of a million 
bonfires. On the mountain-top it roared and 
raved through the pines, filling the air with 
snow and broken branches, and piling it in 
huge drifts against the trees. 

The perfect solitude of this vast wildness was 
almost appalling. From my position on the 
summit of the dividing ridge I had a bird's-eye 
view, as it were, over the rugged and chaotic 
masses of the stupendous chain of the Rocky 
Mountains, and the vast deserts which stretched 
away from their eastern bases; while, on all 
sides of me, broken ridges, and chasms and 
ravines, with masses of piled-up rocks and up- 
rooted trees, with clouds of drifting snow flying 
through the air, and the hurricane's roar bat- 
tling through the forest at my feet, added to the 
wildness of the scene, which was unrelieved by 
the slightest vestige of animal or human life. 
Not a sound either of bird or beast was heard — 
indeed, the hoarse and stunning rattle of the 
wind would have drowned them, so loud it 
roared and raved through the trees. 

The animals strove in vain to face the storm, 
and, turning their sterns to the wind, shrank 
into themselves, trembling with cold. Panchito, 
whom I was leading by the bridle, followed me 
to the edge of the plateau, but drew back, 
trembling, from the dismal scene which lay 
stretched below. With a neigh of fear he laid 



112 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

his cold nose against my cheek, seeming to say, 
"Come back, master: what can take you to such 
a wretched place as that, where not even a 
blade of grass meets the eye?" 

The descent on the eastern side is steep and 
sudden, and through a thick forest of pines, to 
the valley beneath. Trail there was none to 
direct us, and my half-breed knew nothing of 
the road, having passed but once before, and 
many years ago, but said it went somewhere 
down the pines. The evening was fast closing 
round us, and to remain where we were was 
certain death to our animals, if not to ourselves: 
I therefore determined to push for the valley, 
and accordingly struck at once down the pines. 

Once amongst the trees there was nothing to 
do but reach the bottom as fast as possible, as 
it was nearly dark, and nothing was to be seen 
at the distance of a dozen yards, so dense was 
the forest. Before we had proceeded as many 
paces from the edge of the plateau, and almost 
before I knew where I was, horses, mules, &c., 
were rolling down the mountain all together, and 
were at last brought up in a snow-drift some 
twelve feet deep. There they all lay in a heap, 
the half-breed under one of the pack-mules, and 
his swarthy face just peering out of the snow. 
Before a mule would stir every pack had to be 
removed; and this, with a temperature some 
ten degrees below zero, was trying to the fingers. 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 113 

as may be imagined. As it was impossible to 
reach the bottom from this point, we struggled 
once more to the top through six feet of snow 
and an almost perpendicular ascent. I had to 
beat a road for the animals, by throwing myself 
bodily on the snow, and pounding it down with 
all my weight. We were nearly frozen by this 
time, and my hands were perfectly useless — so 
much so that, when a large bird of the grouse 
species* flew up into a pine above my head, I 
was unable to cock my rifle to shoot at it. The 
mules were plunging into the snow at every 
step, and their packs were hanging under their 
bellies, but to attempt to adjust them was out 
of the question. It was nearly dark too, which 
made our situation anything but pleasant, and 
the mules were quite exhausted. 

At last, however, we reached the top and 
struck down the mountain at another point, but 
it was with the greatest toil and difficulty that 
we reached the bottom long after dark, and 
camped shortly after near the creek which 
wound through the valley, or rather in its very 
bed. One of the mules had slipped its pack 
completely under the belly, and, the girth pinch- 
ing her, she started off just before reaching the 
creek at full gallop, kicking everything the pack 
contained to the four winds of heaven. This 

* Called by the hunters le coq des hois. It resembles the Scotch 
capercailzie. 



114 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

pack happened to contain all the provisions, and, 
as the search for them in the dark would have 
been useless, we this night had no supper. To 
shelter ourselves from the wind we camped in 
the bed of the creek, which was without water, 
but the wind howled down it as if it were a 
funnel, scattering our fire in every direction as 
soon as it was lighted, and tearing the blankets 
from our very bodies. The animals never 
moved from the spot where they had been un- 
packed; even if there had been grass, they were 
too exhausted to feed, but stood shivering in the 
wind, collapsed with cold, and almost dead. 
Such a night I never passed, and hope never to 
pass again. The hurricane never lulled for a 
single instant; all our efforts to build a fire 
were unavailing; and it was with no small 
delight that I hailed the break of day, when we 
immediately packed the mules and started on 
our journey. 

The trail now led along the creek and through 
small broken prairies, with bluffs exliibiting a 
very curious formation of shale and sandstone. 
At one point the caiion opens out into a pretty 
open glade or park, in the middle of which is a 
large rock resembling a ruined castle: the little 
prairie is covered with fine grass, and a large 
herd of black-tailed deer were feeding in it. 
A little farther on we descried the timber on the 
Huerfano or Orphan Creek, so called from a 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 115 

remarkable isolated rock of sandstone which 
stands in a small prairie on its left bank, and is a 
well-known landmark to the Indians. We 
camped on the Huerfano under some high 
cottonwoods, the wind blowing with unabated 
violence. The next morning all the animals 
were missing, and, following their trail, we found 
them on the other side of the creek, ^ve or six 
miles from the camp, in a little prairie full of 
buffalo-grass. As it was late in the day when 
we returned to camp, we did not leave till next 
morning, when we crossed on to the Cuerna- 
verde or Greenhorn Creek. 

On a bluff overlooking the stream I had the 
satisfaction of seeing two or three Indian lodges 
and one adobe hovel of a more aspiring order. 
As we crossed the creek a mountaineer on an 
active horse galloped up to us, his rifle over the 
horn of the saddle, and clad in hunting-shirt 
and pantaloons of deer-skin, with long fringes 
hanging down the arms and legs. As this was 
the first soul we had met since leaving Red 
River, we were as delighted to meet a white man 
(and him an American) as he was to learn the 
news from the Mexican settlements. We found 
here two or three hunters, French Canadians, 
with their Assinniboin and Sioux squaws, who 
have made the Greenhorn their head-quarters; 
and game being abundant and the rich soil of 
the valley affording them a suflSciency of Indian 



116 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

corn, they lead a tolerably easy life, and certainly 
a lazy one, with no cares whatever to annoy 
them. This valley will, I have no doubt, become 
one day a thriving settlement, the soil being 
exceedingly rich and admirably adapted to the 
growth of all kinds of grain. The prairies afford 
abundant pasture of excellent quality, and 
stock might be raised upon them in any numbers. 

The depreciation in the value of beaver-skins 
has thrown the great body of trappers out of 
employment, and there is a general tendency 
amongst the mountain-men to settle in the 
fruitful valleys of the Rocky Mountains. 
Already the plough has turned up the soil 
within sight of Pike's Peak, and a hardy pioneer, 
an Englishman, has led the way to the Great 
Salt Lake, where a settlement of mountaineers 
has even now been formed, a thousand miles 
from the frontier of the United States. 

From the Greenhorn an easy day's travel 
brought us to the banks of the San Carlos, which, 
receiving the former creek, falls into the Arkansa 
about two hundred and fifty miles from its 
source. The San Carlos is well timbered with 
Cottonwood, cherry, quaking-asp, box-alder, 
and many varieties of shrubs, and many spots 
in the valley are admirably adapted for cultiva- 
tion, with a rich loamy soil, and so situated as 
to be irrigated with great facility from the creek. 
Irrigation is indispensable over the whole of 



INTO THE MOUNTAINS 117 

this region, rain seldom falling in the spring 
and summer, which is one of the greatest 
drawbacks to the settlement of this country, 
the labor of irrigation being very great. The 
San Carlos heads in a lofty range of mountains 
about forty miles from its junction with the 
Arkansa. Near its upper waters is a circular 
valley enclosed by rugged highlands, through 
which the stream forces its way in a canon 
whose precipitous sides overhang it to the height 
of three hundred feet. The face of the rock (of 
a dark limestone) is in many places perfectly 
vertical, and rises from the water's edge to a 
great elevation, pinons and small cedars grow- 
ing out of crevices in the sides. 

After leaving this creek we passed a barren 
rolling prairie with scanty herbage and covered 
with the palmilla* or soap-plant. A few ante- 
lope were its only tenants, and these so shy that 
I was unable to approach them. Fourteen miles 
from the San Carlos we struck the Arkansa at 
the little Indian trading-fort of the "Pueblo," 
which is situated on the left bank, a few hundred 
yards above the mouth of the Fontaine-qui- 
bouille, or Boiling Spring River, so called from 
two springs of mineral water near its head- 
waters under Pike's Peak, about sixty miles 

* The palmilla or soap-plant is a species of cactus, the fibrous 
root of which the New Mexicans use as a substitute for soap. An 
abundant lather is obtained from it. 



118 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

from its mouth. Here I was hospitably enter- 
tained in the lodge of one John Hawkens, an 
ex-trapper and well-known mountaineer. I 
turned my animals loose, and allowed them to 
seek for themselves the best pastures, as in the 
vicinity of the fort the prairies were perfectly 
bare of grass, and it was only near the mountain 
that any of a good quality was to be found. 



CHAPTER VII 

Blizzard in South Park 

THE Arkansa is here a clear, rapid river 
about a hundred yards in width. The 
bottom, which is enclosed on each side by 
high bluffs, is about a quarter of a mile across, 
and timbered with a heavy growth of cotton- 
wood, some of the trees being of great size. On 
each side vast rolling prairies stretch away for 
hundreds of miles, gradually ascending on the 
side towards the mountains, and the highlands 
are there sparsely covered with pinon and cedar. 
The high banks through which the river occa- 
sionally passes are of shale and sandstone, and 
rise precipitously from the water. Ascending 
the river the country is wild and broken until 
it enters the mountains, when the scenery is 
grand and imposing; but the prairies around it 
are arid and sterile, producing but little vegeta- 
tion, and the grass, though of good quality, is 
thin and scarce. 

The Pueblo is a small square fort of adobe 
with circular bastions at the corners, no part of 
the walls being more than eight feet high, and 

round the inside of the yard or corral are built 
119 



120 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

some half-dozen little rooms inhabited by as 
many Indian traders, coureurs des hois, and 
mountain-men. They live entirely upon game, 
and the greater part of the year without even 
bread, since but little maize is cultivated. As 
soon as their supply of meat is exhausted they 
start to the mountains with two or three pack- 
animals, and bring them back in two or three 
days loaded with buffalo or venison. In the 
immediate vicinity of the fort game is very 
scarce, and the buffalo have within a few years 
deserted the neighboring prairies, but they are 
always found in the mountain-valleys, par- 
ticularly in one called Bayou Salado, which 
abounds in every species of game, including elk, 
bears, deer, bighorn or Rocky Mountain sheep, 
buffalo, antelope, &c. 

Hunting in the mountains round the head 
of Fontaine-qui-bouille and Bayou Salado I 
remained for the rest of the winter, which was 
unusually severe — so much so, that the hunters 
were not unfrequently afraid to venture with 
their animals into the mountains. Shortly 
after my arrival on Arkansa, and during a spell 
of fine sunny weather, I started with a Pueblo 
hunter for a load or two of buffalo-meat, intend- 
ing to hunt on the waters of the Platte and the 
Bayou, where bulls remain in good condition 
during the winter months, feeding on the rich 
grass of the mountain valleys. I took with me 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 121 

my horse and three pack-mules, as it was our 
intention to return with a good supply of meat. 

Our course lay up the Fontaine-qui-bouille, 
and on the third day we entered the pine- 
covered uplands at the foot of the mountain. 
Here we found deer so abundant that we deter- 
mined to hunt here, rather than proceed across 
the ridge on to the waters of the Platte. We 
camped on a little mountain stream running 
into the creek an hour or two before sunset, and, 
as we had no provisions, we sallied out to hunt 
as soon as we had unpacked the mules. We 
killed two deer almost immediately, and, re- 
turning to camp, made a good supper off some 
of the tidbits. 

The next morning at daybreak, as soon as I 
had risen from my blanket, I saw a herd of deer 
feeding within a few hundred yards of camp, 
and seizing my rifle I immediately took advan- 
tage of some broken ground to approach them. 
Before, however, I could get within shot they 
ascended the bluffs and moved across a prairie, 
feeding as they went. I took a long circuit to 
get the wind of them, and, following a ravine, at 
length brought my rifle to bear, and knocked 
over a fine buck, the others running two or three 
hundred yards and then stopping to look round 
for their missing comrade. As I ran up to the 
dead one, and took out my knife to cut the 
throat, another deer ran past and stopped 



122 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

between me and the herd, and, taking a long 
shot, I dropped the animal, which, however, 
rose again and limped slowly away. Leaving 
the dead one and my ramrod on its body, I 
followed the wounded deer, and, about half a 
mile from where I fired, found it lying dead. 
The process of butchering occupied about 
twenty minutes, and, packing the hams and 
shoulders on my back, I trudged back to my 
first victim. As I was crossing a ravine and 
ascending the opposite bluff, I saw the figure of 
a man crawling along the bottom, evidently 
with the intention of approaching me. A close 
inspection assured me that it was an Indian; 
and as none but Arapahos were likely to be in 
the vicinity, and as these are the Indians most 
hostile to the white hunters, killing them 
whenever an opportunity offers, I made up my 
mind that a war-party was about, and that 
I and my companion stood a very good 
chance of "losing our hair." As the Indian 
cautiously advanced, I perceived another was 
running round the prairie to cut me off from 
camp, and consequently I determined to make 
good my ground where I was, throwing down the 
meat and getting my rifle in readiness for work. 
The only tribes of Indians who frequent this 
part of the mountains are the Yutas (or 
Utahs) and the Arapahos, who are hereditary 
enemies, and constantly at deadly war with each 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 123 

other. A large band of the Yutas had been 
wintering in the Bayou Salado, to which one 
trail leads by the Boiling Spring River (where I 
was hunting), and another by the Arkansa. 
The former is the trail followed by the Arapaho 
war-parties when on an expedition against the 
Yutas in the Bayou, and therefore I felt certain 
that none but the former Indians would be 
met with in this vicinity. However, as the 
Yutas are a very friendly tribe, I was loth to 
be the first to commence hostilities in case 
my antagonist might prove to belong to that 
nation, and therefore I awaited his approach, 
which he made stealthily, until he saw that I 
had discovered him, when, throwing himself 
erect, and gun in hand, he made directly towards 
me. With rifle cocked I watched his eye until 
he came within fifty yards, when suddenly, 
seeing my hostile appearance, he stopped, and, 
striking his hand thrice on his brawny chest, 
exclaimed, in a loud voice — 

"Arapaho, Arapaho!" and stood erect and 
still. This announcement was very near being 
fatal to him, for, on hearing him proclaim him- 
self one of that hostile nation, my rifle was up 
to my shoulder in an instant, and covering his 
heart. As my finger was on the trigger, it 
flashed across my mind that I had heard that 
two Arapahos were amongst the hunters on the 
Arkansa, their sister being married to a moun- 



124 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

taineer, and that probably the dusky gentleman 
at the end of my rifle was one of these, as indeed 
he proved to be. I accordingly made signals of 
peace, and he approached and shook me by 
the hand. That his intentions were not alto- 
gether honest I have no doubt, but, finding me 
prepared, he thought it more advisable to 
remain en paz — at peace. What strengthened 
me in this belief was the fact, which I shortly 
after discovered, that a war-party of his nation 
were at that moment camped within a few 
hundred yards of us, whose vicinity he never 
apprised me of, and who, if they had seen us, 
would not have hesitated an instant to secure 
our scalps and animals. 

When I returned to the spot where I had left 
the first deer, not a particle was visible except 
some hair scattered on the ground, but a few 
hundred yards from the spot a dozen wolves 
were engaged in dining off a lump of something, 
which, on approach, I found to be the remains 
of my deer, leaving behind them, when dis- 
persed, a handful of hair. 

The sagacity of wolves is almost incredible. 
They will remain round a hunting-camp and 
follow the hunters the whole day, in bands of 
three and four, at less than a hundred yards' 
distance, stopping when they stop, and sitting 
down quietly when game is killed, rushing to 
devour the offal when the hunter retires, and 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 125 

then following until another feed is offered 
them. If a deer or antelope is wounded, they 
immediately pursue it, and not unfrequently 
pull the animal down in time for the hunter to 
come up and secure it from their ravenous 
clutches. However, they appear to know at 
once the nature of the wound, for if but slightly 
touched they never exert themselves to follow 
a deer, chasing those only which have received 
a mortal blow. 

I one day killed an old buck which was so 
poor that I left the carcase on the ground un- 
touched. Six coyotes, or small prairie wolves, 
were my attendants that day, and of course, 
before I had left the deer twenty paces, had 
commenced their work of destruction. Certainly 
not ten minutes after I looked back and saw 
the same six loping after me, one of them not 
twenty yards behind me, with his nose and 
face all besmeared with blood, and his belly 
swelled almost to bursting. Thinking it scarcely 
possible that they could have devoured the 
whole deer in so short a space, I had the curiosity 
to return, and, to my astonishment, found 
actually nothing left but a pile of bones and 
hair, the flesh being stripped from them as 
clean as if scraped with a knife. Half an hour 
after I killed a large black-tail deer, and, as it 
was also in miserable condition, I took merely 
the fleeces (as the meat on the back and ribs is 



126 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

called), leaving four-fifths of the animal un- 
touched. I then retired a short distance, and, 
sitting down on a rock, lighted my pipe, and 
watched the operations of the wolves. They 
sat perfectly still until I had withdrawn some 
threescore yards, when they scampered, with a 
flourish of their tails, straight to the deer. 
Then commenced such a tugging and snarling 
and biting, all squeaking and swallowing at the 
same moment. A skirmish of tails and flying 
hair was seen for five minutes, when the last 
of them, with slouching tail and evidently 
ashamed of himself, withdrew, and nothing 
remained on the ground but a well-picked 
skeleton. By sunset, when I returned to camp, 
they had swallowed as much as three entire deer. 

We remained hunting in the mountains some 
days, and left the Boiling Spring River with our 
mules loaded with meat, having, almost by a 
miracle, been unmolested by the Arapaho war- 
party, some of whom I saw hunting nearly 
every day, without being myself discovered. 
Nothing occurred on our return until the night 
of the second day, when we camped on the creek 
in a spot destitute of grass, and our animals 
took themselves off in search of food during the 
night, where we knew not. 

The next morning my companion, thinking 
to find them close at hand, left me in camp 
cooking the breakfast while he went to bring 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 127 

in the animals, but presently returned, saying 
that he could find neither them nor their track, 
but had discovered fresh Indian sign in the 
bottom, where several Indians had been but a 
few hours before, and that, doubtless, they had 
made "a raise .'^ I instantly seized my rifle, 
and, taking a circuit round the camp, came 
presently upon the track of horses and mules, 
and struck at once after them, thinking that, of 
course, they were those made by our animals, as 
they tallied with the number, being two horses 
and three mules. I had followed up the track 
for ten miles, when, in crossing a piece of hard 
prairie which scarcely yielded to the impression 
of the hoofs, I, for the first time, observed that 
not one of the animals I was following was shod, 
and, knowing that most of my own were so, I 
began to think, and soon satisiSed myself of the 
fact, that they were not those I was in search of. 
As soon as I had made up my mind to this I 
retraced my steps to camp, and immediately 
started again with my companion in another 
direction. This time we came upon the right 
track, and found that it took an easterly direction 
and that the animals were not in the possession 
of the Indians, as their ropes still dragged along 
the ground, making a broad trail. Finding this, 
we returned to camp and ''cached^' our meat and 
packs in the forks of a cottonwood tree, out of 
reach of wolves; and without thinking of 



128 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

cooking anything, so anxious were we to find 
our animals, we started off at once in pursuit, 
carrying a lariat and saddle-blanket to ride back 
on in case we found the mules. 

We followed the trail until midnight, by 
which time I felt not a little tired, as I had been 
on my legs since daybreak, and had not broken 
my fast since the preceding day. We therefore 
turned into the bottom, floundering through the 
bushes, and impaling ourselves at every step 
on the prickly pears which covered the ground, 
and made a fire near the stream, in a thicket 
which in some degree sheltered us from the cold. 
We had scarcely however lighted the fire when a 
gale of wind burst upon us, and, scattering the 
burning brands in every direction, quickly set 
fire to the dry grass and bushes to leeward of 
the fire. All our efforts to prevent this were 
unavailing, and we were necessitated to put 
out our fire to prevent the whole bottom from 
being burned. As the cold was intense, and I 
had no covering but a paltry saddle-blanket 
about four feet square, sleep was out of the 
question if I wished to keep unfrozen, so that, 
after an hour or two's rest and a good smoke, we 
again turned out, and by the light of the moon 
pursued the trail. As it passed over prairies 
entirely destitute of grass, the animals had never 
once stopped, but continued a straight course, 
without turning to the right or left , in search 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 129 

of pasture. We travelled on all night, and, 
halting for an hour's rest in the morning, about 
noon, looking ahead, I descried four objects 
feeding in the plain. I called out to my compan- 
ion, who was a little in rear, that there they were. 

"Elk," he answered, after a long look, "or 
Injuns. They're no mules, I'll lay a dollar: 
Arapahos, or I never see a redskin." 

However, at that distance I recognized my 
mules, and, pushing on, I found them quietly 
feeding with Panchito, my companion's horse 
being alone missing, and they suffered me to 
catch them without difficulty. As we were now 
within twenty miles of the fort, Morgan, who 
had had enough of it, determined to return, and 
I agreed to go back with the animals to the 
cache, and bring in the meat and packs. I 
accordingly tied the blanket on a mule's back, 
and, leading the horse, trotted back at once to 
the grove of cottonwoods where we had before 
encamped. The sky had been gradually over- 
cast with leaden-colored clouds, until, when near 
sunset, it was one huge inky mass of rolling 
darkness; the wind had suddenly lulled, and an 
unnatural calm, which so surely heralds a 
storm in these tempestuous regions, succeeded. 
The ravens were winging their way towards the 
shelter of the timber, and the coyote was seen 
trotting quickly to cover, conscious of the com- 
ing storm. 



130 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The black threatening clouds seemed gradu- 
ally to descend until they kissed the earth, and 
already the distant mountains were hidden to 
their very bases. A hollow murmuring swept 
through the bottom, but as yet not a branch was 
stirred by wind; and the huge cottonwoods, with 
their leafless limbs, loomed like a line of ghosts 
through the heavy gloom. Knowing but too well 
what was coming, I turned my animals towards 
the timber, which was about two miles distant. 
With pointed ears, and actually trembling with 
fright, they were as eager as myself to reach the 
shelter; but, before we had proceeded a third of 
the distance, with a deafening roar the tempest 
broke upon us. The clouds opened and drove 
right in our faces a storm of freezing sleet, which 
froze upon us as it fell. The first squall of wind 
carried away my cap, and the enormous hail- 
stones, beating on my unprotected head and 
face, almost stunned me. In an instant my 
hunting-shirt was soaked, and as instantly 
frozen hard; and my horse was a mass of 
icicles. Jumping off my mule — for to ride was 
impossible — I tore off the saddle-blanket and 
covered my head. The animals, blinded with 
the sleet, and their eyes actually coated with 
ice, turned their sterns to the storm, and, blown 
before it, made for the open prairie. All my 
exertions to drive them to the shelter of the 
timber was useless. It was impossible to face 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 131 

the hurricane, which now brought with it clouds 
of driving snow; and perfect darkness soon set in. 

Still the animals kept on, and I determined 
not to leave them, following, or rather being 
blown after them. My blanket, frozen stiff 
like a board, required all the strength of my 
numbed fingers to prevent it being blown away, 
and, although it was no protection against the 
intense cold, I knew it would in some degree 
shelter me at night from the snow. In half an 
hour the ground was covered on the bare prairie 
to the depth of two feet, and through this I 
floundered for a long time before the animals 
stopped. The prairie was as bare as a lake; but 
one little tuft of greasewood bushes presented 
itself, and here, turning from the storm, they 
suddenly stopped and remained perfectly still. 
In vain I again attempted to turn them towards 
the direction of the timber; huddled together, 
they would not move an inch; and, exhausted 
myself, and seeing nothing before me but, as 
I thought, certain death, I sank down immedi- 
ately behind them, and, covering my head with 
the blanket, crouched like a ball in the snow. 

I would have started myself for the timber, 
but it was pitchy dark, the wind drove clouds 
of frozen snow into my face, and the animals 
had so turned about in the prairie that it was 
impossible to know the direction to take; and 
although I had a compass with me, my hands 



132 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

were so frozen that I was perfectly unable, after 
repeated attempts, to unscrew the box and con- 
sult it. Even had I reached the timber, my 
situation would have been scarcely improved, 
for the trees were scattered wide about over a 
narrow space, and, consequently, afforded but 
little shelter; and if even I had succeeded in 
getting firewood — by no means an easy matter 
at any time, and still more difficult now that 
the ground was covered with three feet of snow 
— I was utterly unable to use my flint and steel 
to procure a light, since my fingers were like 
pieces of stone, and entirely without feeling. 

The way the wind roared over the prairie that 
night — how the snow drove before it, covering 
me and the poor animals partly — and how I lay 
there, feeling the very blood freezing in my veins, 
and my bones petrifying with the icy blasts 
which seemed to penetrate them — how for 
hours I remained with my head on my knees, 
and the snow pressing it down like a weight of 
lead, expecting every instant to drop into a 
sleep from which I knew it was impossible I 
should ever awake — how every now and then 
the mules would groan aloud and fall down 
upon the snow, and then again struggle on their 
legs — how all night long the piercing howl of 
wolves was borne upon the wind, which never 
for an instant abated its violence during the 
night, — I would not attempt to describe. I 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 133 

have passed many nights alone in the wilderness, 
and in a solitary camp have listened to the 
roarings of the wind and the howling of wolves, 
and felt the rain or snow beating upon me, with 
perfect unconcern: but this night threw all my 
former experiences into the shade, and is marked 
with the blackest of stones in the memoranda 
of my journeyings. 

Once, late in the night, by keeping my hands 
buried in the breast of my hunting-shirt, I 
succeeded in restoring sufficient feeling into 
them to enable me to strike a light. Luckily 
my pipe, which was made out of a huge piece 
of Cottonwood bark, and capable of containing 
at least twelve ordinary pipefuls, was filled 
with tobacco to the brim; and this I do believe 
kept me alive during the night, for I smoked 
and smoked until the pipe itself caught fire, and 
burned completely to the stem. 

I was just sinking into a dreamy stupor, when 
the mules began to shake themselves, and sneeze 
and snort; which hailing as a good sign, and 
that they were still alive, I attempted to lift 
my head and take a view of the weather. When 
with great difficulty I raised my head, all 
appeared dark as pitch, and it did not at first 
occur to me that I was buried deep in snow; but 
when I thrust my arm above me, a hole was 
thus made, through which I saw the stars 
shining in the sky and the clouds fast clearing 



134 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

away. Making a sudden attempt to straighten 
my almost petrij&ed back and limbs, I rose, but, 
unable to stand, fell forward in the snow, 
frightening the animals, which immediately 
started away. When I gained my legs I found 
that day was just breaking, a long grey line 
of light appearing over the belt of timber on the 
creek, and the clouds gradually rising from the 
east, and allowing the stars to peep from 
patches of blue sky. Following the animals 
as soon as I gained the use of my limbs, and 
taking a last look at the perfect cave from which 
I had just risen, I found them in the timber, and, 
singular enough, under the very tree where we 
had cached our meat. However, I was unable 
to ascend the tree in my present state, and my 
frost-bitten fingers refused to perform their 
offices; so that I jumped upon my horse, and, 
followed by the mules, galloped back to the 
Arkansa, which I reached in the evening, half 
dead with hunger and cold. 

The hunters had given me up for lost, as such 
a night even the "oldest inhabitant" had never 
witnessed. My late companion had reached 
the Arkansa, and was safely housed before it 
broke, blessing his lucky stars that he had not 
gone back with me. The next morning he 
returned and brought in the meat; while I spent 
two days in nursing my frozen fingers and feet. 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 135 

and making up, in feasting mountain fashion, 
for the banyans I had suffered. 

The morning after my arrival on Arkansa, 
two men, named Harwood and Markhead — the 
latter one of the most daring and successful 
trappers that ever followed this adventurous 
mountain life, and whom I had intended to have 
hired as a guide to the valley of the Columbia the 
ensuing spring — started off to the settlement of 
New Mexico, with some packs of peltries, in- 
tending to bring back Taos whisky (a very 
profitable article of trade amongst the mountain- 
men) and some bags of flour and Indian meal. 

I found on returning from my hunt that a 
man named John Albert had brought intelli- 
gence that the New Mexicans and Pueblo 
Indians had risen in the Valley of Taos, and, as 
I have before mentioned, massacred Governor 
Bent and other Americans, and had also 
attacked and destroyed Turley's ranch on the 
Arroyo Hondo, killing him and most of his 
men. Albert had escaped from the house, and, 
charging through the assailants, made for the 
mountains, and, travelling night and day, and 
without food, had reached the Greenhorn with 
the news, and after recruiting for a couple of 
days had come on to the Arkansa with the 
intelligence, which threw the fierce mountaineers 
into a perfect frenzy. 

As Markhead and Harwood would have 



136 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

arrived in the settlements about the time of the 
rising, Httle doubt remained as to their fate, 
but it was not until nearly two months after 
that any intelligence was brought concerning 
them. It seemed that they arrived at the Rio 
Colorado, the first New Mexican settlement, on 
the seventh or eighth day, when the people had 
just received news of the massacre in Taos. 
These savages, after stripping them of their 
goods, and securing, by treachery, their arms, 
made them mount their mules under the pre- 
tence of conducting them to Taos, there to be 
given up to the chief of the insurrection. They 
had hardly, however, left the village when a 
Mexican, riding behind Harwood, discharged 
his gun into his back: Harwood, calling to 
Markhead that he was "finished," fell dead to 
the ground. Markhead, seeing that his own 
fate was sealed, made no struggle, and was 
likewise shot in the back by several balls. They 
were then stripped and scalped and shockingly 
mutilated, and their bodies thrown into the 
bush by the side of the creek to be devoured by 
the wolves. They were both remarkably fine 
young men. 

Markliead was celebrated in the mountains 
for his courage and reckless daring, having had 
many almost miraculous escapes when in the 
very hands of hostile Indians. He had a few 
years ago accompanied Sir W. Drummond 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 137 

Stewart in one of his expeditions across the 
mountains. It happened that a half-breed of 
the company absconded one night with some 
animals belonging to Sir William, who, being 
annoyed at the circumstance, said hastily, and 
never dreaming that his offer would be taken up, 
that he would give five hundred dollars for the 
scalp^ of the thief. The next day Markhead 
rode into camp with the scalp of the unfortunate 
horse-thief hanging at the end of his rifle, and I 
believe received the reward, at least so he him- 
self declared to me, for this act of mountain law. 
On one occasion, whilst trapping on the waters 
of the Yellowstone, in the midst of the Black- 
foot country, he came suddenly upon two or 
three lodges, from which the Indians happened 
to be absent. There was no doubt, from signs 
which he had previously discovered, that they 
were lying in wait for him somewhere on the 
stream to attack him when examining his traps, 
the Blackfeet, moreover, being most bitterly 
hostile to the white trappers, and killing them 
without mercy whenever an occasion offered. 
Notwithstanding the almost certainty that 
some of the Indians were close at hand, probably 
gone out for a supply of wood and would very 
soon return, Markhead resolved to visit the 
lodges and help himself to anything worth 
taking that he might find there. The fire was 
burning, and meat was actually cooking in a 



138 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

pot over it. To this he did ample justice, 
emptying the pot in a very satisfactory manner, 
after which he tied all the blankets, dressed 
skins, moccasins, &c., into a bundle, and, 
mounting his horse, got safely off with his 
prize. 

It was not always, however, that he escaped 
scatheless, for his body was riddled with balls 
received in many a bloody affray with Blackfeet 
and other Indians. 

Laforey, the old Canadian trapper, with 
whom I stayed at Red River, was accused of 
having possessed himseff of the property found 
on the two mountaineers, and afterwards of 
having instigated the Mexicans to the barbarous 
murder. The hunters on Arkansa vowed ven- 
geance against him, and swore to have his hair 
some day, as well as similar love-locks from the 
people of Red River. A war-expedition was 
also talked of to that settlement, to avenge the 
murder of their comrades, and ease the Mexicans 
of their mules and horses. 

The massacre of Turley and his people, and 
the destruction of his mill, were not consummated 
without considerable loss to the barbarous and 
cowardly assailants. There were in the house, 
at the time of the attack, eight white men,, in- 
cluding Americans, French Canadians, and one 
or two Englishmen, with plenty of arms and 
ammunition. Turley had been warned of the 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 139 

intended insurrection, but had treated the 
report with indifference and neglect, until one 
morning a man named Otterbees, in the employ 
of Turley, and who had been despatched to 
Sante Fe with several mule-loads of whisky a 
few days before, made his appearance at the 
gate on horseback, and, hastily informing the 
inmates of the mill that the New Mexicans had 
risen and massacred Governor Bent and other 
Americans, galloped off. Even then Turley felt 
assured that he would not be molested, but, 
at the solicitations of his men, agreed to close 
the gate of the yard round which were the 
buildings of a mill and distillery, and make 
preparations for defence. 

A few hours after a large crowd of Mexicans 
and Pueblo Indians made their appearance, all 
armed with guns and bows and arrows, and, 
advancing with a white flag, summoned Turley 
to surrender his house and the Americans in it, 
guaranteeing that his own life should be saved, 
but that every other American in the valley of 
Taos had to be destroyed; that the Governor and 
all the Americans at Fernandez and the rancho 
had been killed, and that not one was to be left 
alive in all New Mexico. 

To this summons Turley answered that he 
would never surrender his house nor his men, 
and that, if they wanted it or them, "they must 
take them." 



140 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The enemy then drew off, and, after a short 
consultation commenced the attack. The first 
day they numbered about five hundred, but 
the crowd was hourly augmented by the arrival 
of parties of Indians from the more distant 
pueblos, and of New Mexicans from Fernandez, 
La Canada, and other places. 

The building lay at the foot of a gradual slope 
in the sierra, which was covered with cedar- 
bushes. In front ran the stream of the Arroyo 
Hondo, about twenty yards from one side of the 
square, and on the other side was broken ground, 
which rose abruptly and formed the bank of the 
ravine. In rear, and behind the still-house, was 
some garden-ground enclosed by a small fence, 
and into which a small wicket-gate opened from 
the corral. 

As soon as the attack was determined upon, 
the assailants broke, and, scattering, concealed 
themselves under the cover of the rocks and 
bushes which surrounded the house. 

From these they kept up an incessant fire 
upon every exposed portion of the building where 
they saw the Americans preparing for defence. 

They, on their part, were not idle; not a man 
but was an old mountaineer, and each had his 
trusty rifle, with good store of ammunition. 
Wherever one of the assailants exposed a hand's- 
breadth of his person, there whistled a ball from 
an unerring barrel. The windows had been 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 141 

blockaded, loop-holes being left to fire through, 
and through these a lively fire was maintained. 
Already several of the enemy had bitten the 
dust, and parties were constantly seen bearing 
off the wounded up the banks of the Canada. 
Darkness came on, and during the night a con- 
tinual fire was kept up on the mill, whilst its 
defenders, reserving their ammunition, kept 
their posts with stern and silent determination. 
The night was spent in running balls, cutting 
patches, and completing the defences of the 
building. In the morning the fight was re- 
newed, and it was found that the Mexicans had 
effected a lodgment in a part of the stables, 
which were separated from the other portions 
of the building, and between which was an open 
space of a few feet. The assailants, during the 
night, had sought to break down the wall, and 
thus enter the main building, but the strength 
of the adobes and logs of which it was com- 
posed resisted effectually all their attempts. 

Those in the stable seemed anxious to regain 
the outside, for their position was unavailable 
as a means of annoyance to the besieged, and 
several had darted across the narrow space 
which divided it from the other part of the 
building, and which slightly projected, and 
behind which they were out of the line of fire. 
As soon, however, as the attention of the de- 
fenders was called to this point, the first man 



142 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

who attempted to cross, and who happened to 
be a Pueblo chief, was dropped on the instant, 
and fell dead in the centre of the intervening 
space. It appeared an object to recover the 
body, for an Indian immediately dashed out to 
the fallen chief, and attempted to drag him 
within the cover of the wall. The rifle which 
covered the spot again poured forth its deadly 
contents, and the Indian springing into the air, 
fell over the body of his chief, struck to the heart. 
Another and another met with a similar fate, 
and at last three rushed at once to the spot, and, 
seizing the body by the legs and head, had 
already lifted it from the ground, when three 
puffs of smoke blew from the barricaded 
window, followed by the sharp cracks of as 
many rifles, and the three daring Indians added 
their number to the pile of corpses which now 
covered the body of the dead chief. 

As yet the besieged had met with no casual- 
ties; but after the fall of the seven Indians, in 
the manner above described, the whole body of 
assailants, with a shout of rage, poured in a 
rattling volley, and two of the defenders of the 
mill fell mortally wounded. One, shot through 
the loins, suffered great agony, and was removed 
to the still-house, where he was laid upon a large 
pile of grain, as being the softest bed to be found. 

In the middle of the day the assailants re- 
newed the attack more fiercely than before, 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 143 

their baffled attempts adding to their furious 
rage. The little garrison bravely stood to the 
defence of the mill, never throwing away a shot, 
but firing coolly, and only when a fair mark was 
presented to their unerring aim. Their am- 
munition, however, was fast failing, and, to 
add to the danger of their situation, the enemy 
set fire to the mill, which blazed fiercely, and 
threatened destruction to the whole building. 
Twice they succeeded in overcoming the flames, 
and, taking advantage of their being thus 
occupied, the Mexicans and Indians charged 
into the corral, which was full of hogs and sheep, 
and vented their cowardly rage upon the 
animals, spearing and shooting all that came in 
their way. No sooner, however, were the 
flames extinguished in one place, than they 
broke out more fiercely in another; and as a 
successful defence was perfectly hopeless, and 
the numbers of the assailants increased every 
moment, a council of war was held by the 
survivors of the little garrison, when it was 
determined, as soon as night approached, that 
every one should attempt to escape as best he 
might, and in the mean time the defence of the 
mill was to be continued. 

Just at dusk, Albert and another man ran to 
the wicket-gate which opened into a kind of 
enclosed space, and in which was a number of 
armed Mexicans. They both rushed out at 



144. WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the same moment, discharging their rifles full 
in the faces of the crowd. Albert, in the con- 
fusion,, threw himself under the fence, whence 
he saw his companion shot down immediately, 
and heard his cries for mercy, mingled with 
shrieks of pain and anguish, as the cowards 
pierced him with knives and lances. Lying 
without motion under the fence, as soon as it 
was quite dark he crept over the logs and ran 
up the mountain, travelled day and night, and, 
scarcely stopping or resting, reached the Green- 
horn, almost dead with hunger and fatigue. 
Turley himself succeeded in escaping from the 
mill and in reaching the mountain unseen. 
Here he met a Mexican, mounted on a horse, 
who had been a most intimate friend of the 
unfortunate man for many years. To this man 
Turley offered his watch (which was treble the 
value) for the use of his horse, but was refused. 
The inhuman wretch, however, affected pity 
and commiseration for the fugitive, and advised 
him to go to a certain place, where he would 
bring or send him assistance; but on reaching the 
mill, which was now a mass of fire, he im- 
mediately informed the Mexicans of his place 
of concealment, whither a large party instantly 
proceeded and shot him to death. 

Two others escaped and reached Santa Fe in 
safety. The mill and Turley's house were 
sacked and gutted, and all his hard-earned 



BLIZZARD IN SOUTH PARK 14 5 

savings, which were considerable, and con- 
cealed in gold about the house, were discovered 
and of course seized upon, by the victorious 
Mexicans. 

The Indians, however, met a few days after 
with a severe retribution. The troops marched 
out of Santa Fe, attacked their pueblo, and 
levelled it to the ground, killing many hundreds 
of Its defenders, and taking many prisoners, 
most of whom were hanged. 



CHAPTER VIII 

The Beaver and His Trapper 

BEAVER has so depreciated in value within 
the last few years, that trapping has 
been almost abandoned; the price paid 
for the skin of this valuable animal having fallen 
from six and eight dollars per pound to one 
dollar, which hardly pays the expenses of traps, 
animals, and equipment for the hunt, and is 
certainly no adequate remuneration for the 
incredible hardships, toil, and danger, which 
are undergone by the hardy trappers in the 
course of their adventurous expeditions. The 
cause of the great decrease in value of beaver- 
fur is the substitute which has been found for 
it in the skins of the fur-seal and nutria — the 
improved preparation of other skins of little 
value, such as the hare and rabbit — and, more 
than all, in the use of silk in the manufacture of 
hats, which has in a great measure superseded 
that of beaver. Thus the curse of the trapper is 
levelled against all the new-fashioned materials 
of Paris hats; and the light and (h)airy gossamer 
of twelve-and-six is anathematized in the 
mountains in a way which would be highly dis- 
146 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 147 

tressmg to the feelings of Messrs. Jupp and 
Johnson, and other artists in the ventilating- 
gossamer line. 

Thanks to the innovation, however, a little 
breathing-time has been allowed the persecuted 
castor; and this valuable fur-bearing animal, 
which otherwise would, in the course of a few 
years, have become extinct, has now a chance of 
multiplying, and will in a short time again become 
abundant; for, although not a very prolific 
animal, the beaver has perhaps fewer natural 
enemies than any other of the jerce naturce, and 
being at the same time a wise and careful one, 
provides against all contingencies of cold and 
hunger, which in northern climates carry off so 
large a proportion of his brother beasts. 

The beaver was once found in every part of 
North America from Canada to the Gulf of 
Mexico, but has now gradually retired from the 
encroachments and the persecutions of civilized 
man, and is met with only in the far, far west,on 
the tributaries of the great rivers, and the streams 
which water the mountain valleys in the great 
chain of the Rocky Mountains. On the waters 
of the Platte and Arkansa they are still numer- 
ous, and within the last two years have increased 
considerably in numbers; but the best trapping- 
ground now is on the streams running through 
the Bayou Salado, and the Old and New Parks, 
all of which are elevated mountain valleys. 



148 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The habits of the beaver present quite a 
study to the naturalist, and they are certainly 
the most sagaciously instinctive of all quadru- 
peds. Their dams afford a lesson to the engi- 
neer, their houses a study to the architect of 
comfortable abodes, while their unremitting 
labor and indefatigable industry are models 
to be followed by the working-man. The lodge 
of the beaver is generally excavated in the bank 
of the stream, the entrance being invariably 
under water; but not unfrequently, where the 
banks are flat, the animals construct lodges in 
the stream itself, of a conical form, of limbs 
and branches of trees woven together and ce- 
mented with mud. For the purpose of forming 
dams, for the necessary timber for their lodges, 
or for the bark which they store for their 
winter's supply of food, the beaver often fells a 
tree eight or ten inches in diameter, throwing it, 
with the skill of an expert woodsman, in any 
direction he pleases, always selecting a tree 
above the stream, in order that the logs may be 
carried down with it to their destination. The 
log is then chopped into small lengths, and, 
pushing them into the water, the beaver steers 
them to the lodge or dam. These trees are as 
cleanly cut as they could be by a sharp axe, the 
gouging furrows made by the animal's strong 
teeth cutting into the very centre of the trunk, 
the notch being smooth as sawed wood. 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 149 

With his broad tail, which is twelve or four- 
teen inches long, and about four in breadth, and 
covered with a thick scaly skin, the beaver 
plasters his lodge, thus making it perform all 
the offices of a hand. They say that, when the 
beaver's tail becomes dry, the animal dies, but, 
whether this is the case or not, I have myself 
seen the beaver when at work return to the 
water and plunge his tail into the stream, and 
then resume his labor with renewed vigor; and 
I have also seen them, with their bodies on the 
bank, thumping the water with their tails with 
a most comical perseverance. 

The female seldom produces more than three 
kittens at a birth, but I know an instance where 
one was killed with young, having no less than 
eleven in her. They live to a considerable age, 
and I once ate the tail of an old "man" beaver 
whose head was perfectly grey with age, and his 
.beard was of the same venerable hue, notwith- 
standing which his tail was tender as a young 
raccoon. The kittens are as playful as their 
namesakes of the feline race, and it is highly 
amusing to see an old one with grotesque 
gravity inciting her young to gambol about her, 
whilst she herself is engaged about some house- 
hold work. 

The nutrias of Mexico are identical with the 
beavers of the more northern parts of America; 
but in South America, and on some parts of the 



150 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

western coast of North America, a species of 
seal, or, as I have heard it described, a hybrid 
between the seal and the beaver, is called 
nutria — quite a distinct animal, however, from 
the Mexican nutria. 

The trappers of the Rocky Mountains 
belong to a "genus" more approximating to the 
primitive savage than perhaps any other class 
of civilized man. Their lives being spent in the 
remote wilderness of the mountains, with no 
other companion than Nature herself, their 
habits and character assume a most singular 
cast of simplicity mingled with ferocity, ap- 
pearing to take their coloring from the scenes 
and objects which surround them. Knowing 
no wants save those of nature, their sole care 
is to procure sufficient food to support life, and 
the necessary clothing to protect them from the 
rigorous climate. This with the assistance of 
their trusty rifles, they are generally able to 
effect, but sometimes at the expense of great 
peril and hardship. When engaged in their 
avocation, the natural instinct of primitive 
man is ever alive, for the purpose of guarding 
against danger and the provision of necessary 
food. 

Keen observers of nature, they rival the 
beasts of prey in discovering the haunts and 
habits of game, and in their skill and cunning in 
capturing it. Constantly exposed to perils of 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 151 

all kinds, they become callous to any feeling of 
danger, and destroy human as well as animal 
life with as Httle scruple and as freely as they 
expose their own. Of laws, human or divine, 
they neither know nor care to know. Their 
wish is their law, and to attain it they do not 
scruple as to ways and means. Firm friends and 
bitter enemies, with them it is "a word and a 
blow," and the blow often first. They may have 
good qualities, but they are those of the animal; 
and people fond of giving hard names call them 
revengeful, bloodthirsty, drunkards (when the 
wherewithal is to be had), gamblers, regardless 
of the laws of meum and tuum — in fact, "White 
Indians." 

However, there are exceptions, and I have 
met honest mountain men. Their animal 
qualities, however, are undeniable. Strong, 
active, hardy as bears, daring, expert in the use 
of their weapons, they are just what uncivilized 
white man might be supposed to be in a brute 
state, depending upon his instinct for the 
support of life. Not a hole or corner in the vast 
wilderness of the "Far West" but has been 
ransacked by these hardy men. From the 
Mississippi to the mouth of the Colorado of the 
West, from the frozen regions of the North to 
the Gila in Mexico, the beaver-hunter has set 
his traps in every creek and stream. All this 
vast country, but for the daring enterprise of 



152 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

these men, would be even now a terra incognita 
to geographers, as indeed a great portion still is; 
but there is not an acre that has not been 
passed and repassed by the trappers in their 
perilous excursions. The mountains and streams 
still retain the names assigned to them by the 
rude hunters; and these alone are the hardy 
pioneers who have paved the way for the 
settlement of the western country. 

Trappers are of two kinds, the "hired hand" 
and the "free trapper:" the former hired for the 
hunt by the fur companies; the latter, supplied 
with animals and traps by the company, is 
paid a certain price for his furs and peltries. 

There is also the trapper "on his own hook;" 
but this class is very small. He has his own 
animals and traps, hunts where he chooses, and 
sells his peltries to whom he pleases. 

On starting for a hunt, the trapper fits him- 
self out with the necessary equipment, either 
from the Indian trading-forts, or from some of 
the petty traders — coureurs des hois — who fre- 
quent the western country. This equipment 
consists usually of two or three horses or mules — 
one for saddle, the others for packs — and six 
traps, which are carried in a bag of leather called 
a trap-sack. Ammunition, a few pounds of 
tobacco, dressed deer-skins for moccasins, &c., 
are carried in a wallet of dressed buffalo-skin 
called a possible-sack. His "possibles" and 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 153 

"trap-sack" are generally carried on the saddle- 
mule when hunting, the others being packed 
with the furs. The costume of the trapper is a 
hunting-shirt of dressed buckskin, ornamented 
with long fringes*; pantaloons of the same 
material, and decorated with porcupine-quills 
and long fringes down the outside of the leg. 
a flexible felt hat and moccasins clothe his 
extremities. Over his left shoulder and under 
his right arm hang his powder-horn and bullet- 
pouch, in which he carries his balls, flint and 
steel, and odds and ends of all kinds. Round the 
waist is a belt, in which is stuck a large butcher- 
knife in a sheath of buffalo-hide, made fast to 
the belt by a chain or guard of steel; which also 
supports a little buckskin case containing a whet- 
stone. A tomahawk is also often added; and, 
of course, a long heavy rifle is part and parcel of 
his equipment. I had nearly forgotten the 
pipe-holder, which hangs round his neck, and is 
generally a gage d'amour, and a triumph of 
squaw workmanship, in shape of a heart, 
garnished with beads and porcupine-quills. 

Thus provided, and having determined the 
locality of his trapping-ground, he starts to the 
mountains, sometimes alone, sometimes with 
three or four in company, as soon as the break- 
ing up of the ice allows him to commence 

* These fringes were not merely ornamental; they supplied 
"whangs" in lack of string. (Ed.) 



154 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

operations. Arrived on his hunting-grounds, he 
follows the creeks and streams, keeping a sharp 
look-out for "sign." If he sees a prostrate 
Cottonwood tree, he examines it to discover if 
it be the work of beaver — whether "thrown" 
for the purpose of food, or to dam the stream. 
The track of the beaver on the mud or sand 
under the bank is also examined; and if the 
"sign" be fresh, he sets his trap in the run of 
the animal, hiding it under water, and attaching 
it by a stout chain to a picket driven in the bank, 
or to a bush or tree. A "float-stick" is made 
fast to the trap by a cord a few feet long, which, 
if the animal carry away the trap, floats on the 
water and points out its position. The trap 
is baited with the "medicine," an oily substance 
obtained from a gland in the scrotum of the 
beaver, but distinct from the testes. A stick is 
dipped into this and planted over the trap; and 
the beaver, attracted by the smell, and wishing 
a close inspection, very foolishly puts his leg 
into the trap, and is a "gone beaver." 

When a lodge is discovered, the trap is set 
at the edge of the dam, at the point where the 
animal passes from deep to shoal water, and 
always under water. Early in the morning the 
hunter mounts his mule and examines the traps. 
The captured animals are skinned, and the tails, 
which are a great dainty, carefully packed into 
camp. The skin is then stretched over a hoop or 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 155 

framework of osier-twigs, and is allowed to 
dry, the flesh and fatty substance being care- 
fully scraped (grained). When dry, it is folded 
into a square sheet, the fur turned inwards, and 
the bundle, containing about ten to twenty 
skins, tightly pressed and corded, and is ready 
for transportation. 

During the hunt, regardless of Indian vicinity, 
the fearless trapper wanders far and near in 
search of "sign." His nerves must ever be in 
a state of tension, and his mind ever present at 
his call. His eagle eye sweeps round the country, 
and in an instant detects any foreign appear- 
ance. A turned leaf, a blade of grass pressed 
down, the uneasiness of the wild animals, the 
flight of birds, are all paragraphs to him written 
in nature's legible hand and plainest language. 
All the wits of the subtle savage are called into 
play to gain an advantage over the wily woods- 
man; but with the natural instinct of primitive 
man, the white hunter has the advantages of a 
civilized mind, and, thus provided, seldom fails 
to outwit, under equal advantages, the cunning 
savage. 

Sometimes, following on his trail, the Indian 
watches him set his traps on a shrub-belted 
stream, and, passing up the bed, like Bruce of 
old, so that he may leave no track, he lies 
in wait in the bushes until the hunter comes to 
examine his carefully-set traps. Then, waiting 



156 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

until he approaches his ambushment within a 
few feet, whiz flies the home-drawn arrow, never 
faihng at such close quarters to bring the victim 
to the ground. For one white scalp, however, 
that dangles in the smoke of an Indian's lodge, 
a dozen red ones, at the end of the hunt, orna- 
ment the camp-fires of the rendezvous. 

At a certain time, when the hunt is over, or 
they have loaded their pack-animals, the 
trappers proceed to the "rendezvous," the 
locality of which has been previously agreed 
upon; and here the traders and agents of the 
fur companies await them, with such assortment 
of goods as their hardy customers may require, 
including generally a fair supply of alcohol. 
The trappers drop in singly and in small bands, 
bringing their packs of beaver to this mountain 
market, not unfrequently to the value of a 
thousand dollars each, the produce of one hunt. 
The dissipation of the "rendezvous," however, 
soon turns the trapper's pocket inside out. 
The goods brought by the traders, although 
of the most inferior quality, are sold at enormous 
prices: — Coffee, twenty and thirty shillings a 
pint-cup, which is the usual measure; tobacco 
fetches ten and fifteen shillings a plug; alcohol, 
from twenty to fifty shillings a pint; gunpowder, 
sixteen shillings a pint-cup; and all other 
articles at proportionally exorbitant prices. 

The "beaver" is purchased at from two to eight 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 157 

dollars per pound; the Hudson's Bay Company 
alone buying it by the pluie, or "plew," that is, 
the whole skin, giving a certain price for skins, 
whether of old beaver or **kittens." 

The rendezvous is one continued scene of 
drunkenness, gambling, and brawling and fight- 
ing, as long as the money and credit of the 
trappers last. Seated, Indian fashion, round 
the fires, with a blanket spread before them, 
groups are seen with their decks of cards, 
playing at euchre, poker, and seven-up, the 
regular mountain-games. The stakes are 
"beaver," which here is current coin; and when 
the fur is gone, their horses, mules, rifles, and 
shirts, hunting-packs, and breeches, are staked. 
Daring gamblers make the rounds of the camp, 
challenging each other to play for the trapper's 
highest stake, — his horse, his squaw, (if he have 
one) and, as once happened, his scalp. *'There 
goes boss and beaver!" is the mountain expres- 
sion when any great loss is sustained; and, 
sooner or later, **hoss and beaver" invariably 
find their way into the insatiable pockets of 
the traders. A trapper often squanders the 
produce of his hunt, amounting to hundreds 
of dollars, in a couple of hours; and, supplied on 
credit with another equipment, leaves the 
rendezvous for another expedition, which has 
the same result time after time; although one 
tolerably successful hunt would enable him to 



158 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

return to the settlements and civilized life, 
with an ample sum to purchase and stock a 
farm, and enjoy himself in ease and comfort 
the remainder of his days. 

An old trapper, a French Canadian, assured 
me that he had received fifteen thousand 
dollars for beaver during a sojourn of twenty 
years in the mountains. Every year he resolved 
in his mind to return to Canada, and, with this 
object, always converted his fur into cash; but 
a fortnight at the "rendezvous" always cleaned 
him out, and, at the end of twenty years, he 
had not even credit suflScient to buy a pound of 
powder. 

These annual gatherings are often the scene 
of bloody duels, for over their cups and cards 
no men are more quarrelsome than your 
mountaineers. Rifles, at twenty paces, settle 
all differences, and, as may be imagined, the 
fall of one or other of the combatants is certain, 
or, as sometimes happens, both fall to the word 
'*fire." 

A day or two after my return from the 
mountain, I was out in search of my animals 
along the river-bottom, when I met a war- 
party of Arapahos loping along on foot in 
Indian file. It was the same party who had 
been in the vicinity of our camp on Fontaine-qui- 
bouille, and was led by a chief called Coxo, 
"the Game Leg." They were all painted and 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 159 

armed for war, carrying bows and well-filled 
quivers, war-clubs and lances, and some had 
guns in deerskin covers. They were all naked 
to the waist, a single buffalo robe being thrown 
over them, and from his belt each one had a 
lariat or rope of hide to secure the animals 
stolen in the expedition. They were returning 
without a scalp, having found the Yutas "not 
at home;" and this was considered a sign by the 
hunters that they would not be scrupulous in 
"raising some hair," if they caught a straggler 
far from camp. However their present visit 
was for the purpose of procuring some meat, 
of which they stood in need, as to reach their 
village they had to cross a country destitute of 
game. They were all remarkably fine young 
men, and perfectly cleanly in their persons; 
indeed, when on the war-path, more than or- 
dinary care is taken to adorn the body, and the 
process of painting occupies considerable time 
and attention. The Arapahos do not shave 
their heads, as do the Pawnees, Caws, and 
Osages, merely braiding the center or scalp 
lock, and decorating it with a gay ribbon or 
feather of the war-eagle. 

This war-party was twenty-one in number, 
the oldest, with the exception of the chief, 
being under thirty, and not one of them was 
less than five feet eight inches in height. In 
this they differ from their neighbors the Yutas 



160 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

and Comanches, who are of small stature; the 
latter especially, when off their horses, present- 
ing small ungainly figures, with legs crooked by 
constant riding, and limbs exhibiting but little 
muscular development. Not one of this Arapaho 
band but could have sat as a model for an 
Apollo. During their stay the animals were all 
collected and corralled, as their penchant for 
horse-flesh, it was thought likely, might lead 
some of the young men to appropriate a horse 
or mule. 

Each tribe of Prairie Indians has a different 
method of making moccasins, so that any one, 
acquainted with the various fashions, is at no 
loss to know the nation to which any particular 
one belongs whom he may happen to meet. 
The Arapahos and Cheyennes use a "shoe" 
moccasin, that is, one which reaches no higher 
than the instep, and wants the upper side- 
flaps which moccasins usually have. I always 
used Chippewa moccasins, which differ from 
those of the Prairie make, by the seam being 
made up the center of the foot to the leg, and 
puckered into plaits. This, which is the true 
fashion of the "Forest Indian," (who, by the 
by, is as distinct in character and appearance 
from him of the "plains" as a bear from a 
bluebottle) attracted the attention of the 
Arapaho warriors, and caused a lively discus- 
sion amongst themselves, owing to the novelty 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 161 

of the manufacture. They all surrounded me, 
and each examined and felt carefully the un- 
usual chaussure. 

Ti-yah! was the universal exclamation of 
astonishment. The old chief was the last to 
approach, and, after a minute examination, he 
drew himself up, and explained to them, as I 
perfectly understood by his gestures, that the 
people who made those moccasins lived far, far 
away from the sun, where the snow lay deep 
on the ground, and where the night was illu- 
minated by the mystery fire (the aurora bo- 
realis), which he had seen, years ago, far to the 
north. 

The vicinity of the "pueblo" affording no 
pasture, my cavallada had undertaken a voyage 
of discovery in search of grass, and had found a 
small valley up the bed of a dry creek, in which 
grew an abundance of bunch-grass. As, however, 
the river was fast frozen, they were unable to 
find a watering-place themselves, and one day 
made their appearance in camp, evidently for 
the purpose of being conducted to water; I 
therefore led them to the river and broke a 
large hole, which they invariably resorted to 
every morning and evening at the same hour, 
although it was three or four miles from their 
feeding-place. This enabled me to catch them 
whenever I required, for at a certain time I had 
only to go to this hole, and I never failed to see 



162 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

them approaching leisurely, the mules following 
the horse in Indian file, and always along the 
same trail which they had made in the snow. 

The grass, although to all appearance per- 
fectly withered, still retained considerable 
nourishment, and the mules improved fast in 
flesh. Panchito, however, fell off in condition 
as the others improved, more, I think, from the 
severity of the winter than the scarcity of grass. 
When they had cleared the valley they sought 
a pasture still farther off, and, after losing sight 
of them for fifteen days, I found them fifteen 
miles from the river, at the foot of the mountain, 
in a prairie in which was a pool of water (which 
prevented their having recourse to the water- 
hole I had made for them), and where was 
plenty of buffalo-grass. 

It was now always a day's work for me to 
catch my hunting-mule, and the animals were 
becoming so wild that I often returned without 
effecting the capture at all, my only chance 
being to chase them on horseback and lasso the 
horse, when they all followed as quiet as lambs, 
never caring to forsake their old companion. 

The weather in January, February, and 
March [1847] was exceedingly severe. Storms 
of sleet and snow, invariably accompanied by 
hurricanes of wind, were of daily occurrence, 
but the snow rarely remained more than thirty 
hours on the ground, an hour or two of the 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 163 

meridian sun being sufficient to cause it to dis- 
appear. On the 17th of March the ice in the 
Arkansa "moved" for the first time, and the 
next day it was entirely broken up, and the 
arrival of spring-weather was confidently ex- 
pected. However, it froze once more in a few 
days as firm as ever, and the weather became 
colder than before, with heavy snow-storms 
and hard gales of wind. After this succeeded a 
spell of fine weather, and about the 24th the 
ice moved bodily away, and the river was clear 
from that date, the edges of the water only 
being frozen in the morning. Geese now made 
their appearance in considerable numbers, and 
afforded an agreeable variety to our perpetual 
venison and tough bull-meat, as well as good 
sport in shooting them with rifles. The *'blue 
bird" followed the goose; and when the first 
robin was seen, the hunters pronounced the 
winter at an end. 

When the river was clear of ice I tried my 
luck with the fish, and in ten minutes pulled out as 
many trout, hickory shad, and suckers, but from 
that time never succeeded in getting a nibble. 
The hunters accounted for this by saying that 
the fish migrate up the stream as soon as the ice 
breaks, seeking the deep holes and bends of its 
upper waters, and that my first piscatory attempt 
was in the very nick of time, when a shoal was 
passing up for the first time after the thaw. 



164 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Towards the latter end of March I removed 
my animals from their pasture, which was 
getting dry and rotten, and took them up 
Fontaine-qui-bouille into the mountains, where 
the grass is of better quality and more abundant. 
On the Arkansa and the neighboring prairies 
not a vestige of spring vegetation yet presented 
itself, but nearer the mountains the grass was 
beginning to shoot. It is a curious fact that the 
young blade of the buffalo and bunch grass 
pierces its way through the old one, which com- 
pletely envelops and protects the tender blade 
from the nipping frosts of spring, and thus 
also the weakening effects of feeding on the 
young grass are rendered less injurious to horses 
and mules, since they are obliged to eat the 
old together with the young shoots. 

The farther I advanced up the creek, and the 
nearer the mountains, the more forward was 
the vegetation, although even here in its earliest 
stage. The bunch-grass was getting green at the 
roots, and the absinthe and greasewood were 
throwing out their buds. As yet, however, the 
cottonwoods and the larger trees in the bottom 
showed no signs of leaf, and the currant and 
cherry bushes still looked dry and sapless. The 
thickets, however, were filled with birds, and 
resounded with their songs, and the plains were 
alive with the prairie-dogs, busy in repairing 
their houses and barking lustily as I rode 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 165 

through their towns. Turkeys, too, were calling 
in the timber, and the boom of the prairie- 
fowl, at rise and set of sun, was heard on every 
side. The snow had entirely disappeared from 
the plains, but Pike's Peak and the mountains 
were still clad in white; the latter, being some- 
times clear of snow and looking dark and 
sombre, would for an hour or two be hidden by 
a curtain of clouds, which rising displayed the 
mountains, before black and furrowed, now 
white and smooth with their snowy mantle. 

On my way I met a band of hunters who had 
been driven in by a war-party of Arapahos, who 
were encamped on the eastern fork of the 
Fontaine-qui-bouille. They strongly urged me 
to return, as, being alone, I could not fail to 
be robbed of my animals, if not killed myself. 
However, in pursuance of my fixed rule, never 
to stop on account of Indians, I proceeded up 
the river, and about fifty miles from the mouth 
encamped on the first fork, where was an abund- 
ance of deer and antelope. In the timber on 
the banks of the creek I erected a little shanty, 
covering it with the bark of the prostrate 
trees which strewed the ground, and picketing 
my animals at night in a little prairie within 
sight, where they luxuriated on plenty of 
buffalo-grass. Here I remained for a day or 
two hunting in the mountain, leaving my 
cavallada to take care of themselves, and at the 



166 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

mercy of the Arapahos should they discover 
them. At night I returned to camp, made a 
fire, and cooked an appola* of antelope-meat, 
and enjoyed my solitary pipe after supper with 
as much relish as if I was in a divan, and lay 
down on my blanket, serenaded by packs of 
hungry wolves, and sleeping as soundly as if 
there were no such people in existence as Ara- 
pahoes, merely waking now and then and 
raising my hand to the top of my head, to 
assure myself that my top-knot was in its place. 
The next day I moved up the main fork, on 
which I had been directed by the hunters to 
proceed, in order to visit the far-famed springs 
from which the creek takes its name. The valley 
of the upper waters is very picturesque: many 
mountain-streams course through it, a narrow 
line of timber skirting their banks. On the 
western side the rugged mountains frown 
overhead, and rugged canons filled with pine 
and cedar gape into the plain. At the head of 
the valley, the ground is much broken up 
into gullies and ravines where it enters the 
mountain-spurs, with topes [groves] of pine 
and cedar scattered here and there, and masses 
of rock tossed about in wild confusion. On 
entering the broken ground the creek turns 
more to the westward, and passes by two 

* Alternate strips of fat and lean meat roasted on a sharpened 
stick before the fire. {Ed.) 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 167 

remarkable buttes* of a red conglomerate, 
which appear at a distance like tablets cut in 
the mountain-side. The eastern fork skirts the 
base of the range, coming from the ridge called 
"The Divide," which separates the waters of 
the Platte and Arkansa; and between the main 
stream and this branch, running north and 
south, is a limestone ledge which forms the 
western wall of the lateral valley running at 
right angles from that of the Fontaine-qui- 
bouille. The uplands are clothed with cedar and 
dwarf oak, the bottoms of the river with 
Cottonwood, quaking-asp, oak, ash, and box- 
alder, and a thick undergrowth of cherry and 
currant bushes. 

I followed a very good lodge pole-trail, which 
struck the creek before entering the broken 
ground, being that used by the Yutas and 
Arapahos on their way to the Bayou Salado. 
Here the valley narrowed considerably, and, 
turning an angle with the creek, I was at once 
shut in by mountains and elevated ridges, 
which rose on each side the stream. This was 
now a rapid torrent, tumbling over rocks and 
stones, and fringed with oak and a shrubbery 
of brush. A few miles on, the canon opened out 
into a little shelving glade; and on the right 
bank of the stream, and raised several feet 

* Any prominent rock or bluff is called a butte (pronounced 
biute) by the hunters and trappers. 



168 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

above it, was a flat white rock in which was a 
round hole, where one of the celebrated springs 
hissed and bubbled with its escaping gas. I 
had been cautioned against drinking this, being 
directed to follow the stream a few yards to 
another, which is the true soda-spring. 

Before doing this, however, I unpacked the 
mule and took the saddle from Panchito, 
piling my saddle and meat on the rock. The 
animals, as soon as I left them free, smelt the 
white rock, and instantly commenced licking 
and scraping with their teeth with the greatest 
eagerness. At last the horse approached the 
spring, and, burying his nose deep in the clear 
water, drank greedily. The mules appeared 
at first to fear the bubbling of the gas, and 
smelt and retreated two or three times before 
they mustered courage to take a draught; but 
when they had once tasted the water I thought 
they would have burst themselves. For hours 
they paid no attention to the grass, continuing 
to lick the rock and constantly returning to the 
spring to drink. For myself, I had not only 
abstained from drinking that day, but, with 
the aid of a handful of salt which I had brought 
with me for the purpose, had so highly seasoned 
my breakfast of venison, that I was in a most 
satisfactory state of thirst. I therefore at 
once proceeded to the other spring, and found 
it about forty yards from the first, but im- 



THE BEAVER AND HIS TRAPPER 169 

mediately above the river, issuing from a little 
basin in the flat white rock, and trickling over 
the edge into the stream. The escape of gas in 
this was much stronger than in the other, and 
was similar to water boiling smartly. 

I had provided myself with a tin cup holding 
about a pint; but, before dipping it in, I divested 
myself of my pouch and belt, and sat down in 
order to enjoy the draught at my leisure. I 
was half dead with thirst; and, tucking up the 
sleeves of my hunting-shirt, I dipped the cup 
into the midst of the bubbles, and raised it 
hissing and sparkling to my lips. Such a 
draught! Three times, without drawing a 
breath, was it replenished and emptied, almost 
blowing up the roof of my mouth with its 
effervescence. It was equal to the very best 
soda-water, but possesses that fresh, natural 
flavor, which manufactured water cannot im- 
part. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Among the Springs 

THE Indians regard with awe the "medi- 
cine" waters of these fountains, as being 
the abode of a spirit who breathes through 
the transparent water, and thus, by his exhala- 
tions, causes the perturbation of its surface. 
The Arapahos, especially, attribute to this 
water-god the power of ordaining the success or 
mis-carriage of their war-expeditions; and as 
their braves pass often by the mysterious 
springs, when in search of their hereditary 
enemies the Yutas, in the "Valley of Salt," 
they never fail to bestow their votive offerings 
upon the water-sprite, in order to propitiate 
the "Manitou" of the fountain, and ensure a 
fortunate issue to their "path of war." 

Thus at the time of my visit the basin of the 
spring was filled with beads and wampum, and 
pieces of red cloth and knives, whilst the sur- 
rounding trees were hung with strips of deer- 
skin, cloth, and mocassins, to which, had they 
been serviceable, I would most sacrilegiously 
have helped myself. The "sign," too, round the 
spring, plainly showed that here a war-dance 
170 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 171 

had been executed by the braves; and I was not 
a Httle pleased to find that they had already 
been here, and were not likely to return the 
same way; but m this supposition I was quite 
astray. 

This country was once possessed by the 
Shos-shone or Snake Indians, of whom the 
Comanches of the plains are a branch; and 
although many hundred miles now divide their 
hunting-grounds, they were once, if not the 
same people, tribes of the same grand nation. 
They still, however, retain a common lan- 
guage; and there is great analogy in many of 
their religious rites and legendary tales, which 
proves that at least a very close alliance must 
at one period have bound the two tribes to- 
gether. They are even now the two most 
powerful nations, in point of numbers, of all 
the tribes of western Indians; the Comanche 
ruling supreme on the eastern plains, as the 
Shos-shones are the dominant power in the 
country west of the Rocky Mountains, and in 
the mountains themselves. A branch of the 
latter is the tribe of Tlamath Indians, the most 
warlike of the western tribes; as also the Yutas, 
who may be said to connect them with the 
nation of Comanche. 

Numerically, the Snakes are supposed to be 
the most powerful of any Indian nation in 
existence. 



172 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

The Snakes, who, in common with all In- 
dians, possess hereditary legends to account for 
all natural phenomena, or any extraordinary 
occurrences which are beyond their ken or 
comprehension, have of course their legendary 
version of the causes which created, in the 
midst of their hunting-grounds, these two 
springs of sweet and bitter water; which are 
also intimately connected with the cause of 
separation between the tribes of **Comanche" 
and the "Snake." Thus runs the legend: — 

Many hundreds of winters ago, when the 
cottonwoods on the Big River were no higher 
than an arrow, and the red men, who hunted 
the buffalo on the plains, all spoke the same 
language, and the pipe of peace breathed its 
social cloud of kinnik-kinnek whenever two 
parties of hunters met on the boundless plains — 
when, with hunting-grounds and game of every 
kind in the greatest abundance, no nation dug 
up the hatchet with another because one of its 
hunters followed the game into their bounds, 
but, on the contrary, loaded for him his back 
with choice and fattest meat, and ever proffered 
the soothing pipe before the stranger, with 
well-filled belly, left the village, — it happened 
that two hunters of different nations met one 
day on a small rivulet, where both had repaired 
to quench their thirst. A little stream of water, 
rising from a spring on a rock within a few feet 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 173 

of the bank, trickled over it, and fell splashing 
into the river. To this the hunters repaired; and 
whilst one sought the spring itself, where the 
water, cold and clear, reflected on its surface the 
image of the surrounding scenery, the other, 
tired by his exertions in the chase, threw him- 
self at once to the ground, and plunged his face 
into the running stream. 

The latter had been imsuccessful in the 
chase, and perhaps his bad fortune, and the 
sight of the fat deer which the other hunter 
threw from his back before he drank at the 
crystal spring, caused a feeling of jealousy and 
ill-humor to take possession of his mind. The 
other, on the contrary, before he satisfied his 
thirst, raised in the hollow of his hand a portion 
of the water, and, lifting it towards the sun, 
reversed his hand, and allowed it to fall upon 
the ground, — a libation to the Great Spirit who 
had vouchsafed him a successful hunt, and the 
blessing of the refreshing water with which he 
was about to quench his thirst. 

Seeing this, and being reminded that he had 
neglected the usual offering, only increased the 
feeling of envy and annoyance which the un- 
successful hunter permitted to get the mastery 
of his heart; and the Evil Spirit at that moment 
entering his body, his temper fairly flew away, and 
he sought some pretence by which to provoke 
a quarrel with the stranger Indian at the spring. 



174 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

"Why does a stranger," he asked, rising 
from the stream at the same time, "drink at 
the spring-head, when one to whom the fountain 
belongs contents himself with the water that 
runs from it?" 

"The Great Spirit places the cool water at 
the spring," answered the other hunter, "that 
his children may drink it pure and undefiled. 
The running water is for the beasts which scour 
the plains. Au-sa-qua is a chief of the Shos- 
shone: he drinks at the head- water." 

"The Shos-shone is but a tribe of the Co- 
manche," returned the other: "Waco-mish 
leads the grand nation. Why does a Shos-shone 
dare to drink above him?" 

"He has said it. The Shos-shone drinks at 
the spring-head; other nations of the stream 
which runs into the fields. Au-sa-qua is chief 
of his nation. The Comanche are brothers. Let 
them both drink of the same water." 

"The Shos-shone pays tribute to the Co- 
manche. Waco-mish leads that nation to war. 
Waco-mish is chief of the Shos-shone, as he is of 
his own people." 

** Waco-mish lies; his tongue is forked like 
the rattlesnake's; his heart is black as the 
Misho-tunga (bad spirit). When the Manitou 
made his children, whether Shos-shone or 
Comanche, Arapaho, Shi-an, or Pa-ne, he gave 
them buffalo to eat, and the pure water of the 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 175 

fountain to quench their thirst. He said not 
to one, Drink here, and to another. Drink 
there; but gave the crystal spring to all, that 
all might drink." 

Waco-mish almost burst with rage as the 
other spoke; but his coward heart alone pre- 
vented him from provoking an encounter with 
the calm Shos-shone. He, made thirsty by the 
words he had spoken — ^for the red man is ever 
sparing of his tongue — again stooped down to 
the spring to quench his thirst, when the subtle 
warrior of the Comanche suddenly threw him- 
self upon the kneeling hunter, and, forcing his 
head into the bubbling water, held him down 
with all his strength, until his victim no longer 
struggled, his stiffened limbs relaxed, and he 
fell forward over the spring, drowned and dead. 

Over the body stood the murderer, and no 
sooner was the deed of blood consummated than 
bitter remorse took possession of his mind, 
where before had reigned the fiercest passion 
and vindictive hate. With hands clasped to his 
forehead, he stood transfixed with horror, 
intently gazing on his victim, whose head still 
remained immersed in the fountain. Mechani- 
cally he dragged the body a few paces from the 
water, which, as soon as the head of the dead 
Indian was withdrawn, the Comanche saw 
suddenly and strangely disturbed. Bubbles 
sprang up from the bottom, and, rising to the 



176 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

surface, escaped in hissing gas. A thin vapory 
cloud arose, and, gradually dissolving, displayed 
to the eyes of the trembling murderer the 
figure of an aged Indian, whose long snowy hair 
and venerable beard, blown aside by a gentle 
air from his breast, discovered the well-known 
totem of the great Wan-kan-aga, the father of 
the Comanche and Sho-shone nation, whom the 
tradition of the tribe, handed down by skilfull 
hieroglyphics, almost deified for the good 
actions and deeds of bravery this famous 
warrior had performed when on earth. 

Stretching out a war-club towards the affright- 
ed murderer, the figure thus addressed him : 

"Accursed of my tribe! this day thou hast 
severed the link between the mightiest nations 
of the world, while the blood of the brave 
Shos-shone cries to the Manitou for vengeance. 
May the water of thy tribe be rank and bitter 
in their throats !" Thus saying, and swinging his 
ponderous war-club (made from the elk's horn) 
round his head, he dashed out the brains of the 
Comanche, who fell headlong into the spring, 
which, from that day to the present moment, 
remains rank and nauseous, so that not even 
when half dead with thirst, can one drink the 
foul water of that spring. 

The good Wan-kan-aga, however, to per- 
petuate the memory of the Shos-shone warrior, 
who was renowned in his tribe for valor and 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 177 

nobleness of heart, struck with the same 
avenging club a hard flat rock, which overhung 
the rivulet, just out of sight of this scene of 
blood; and forthwith the rock opened into a 
round clear basin, which instantly filled with 
bubbling sparkling water, than which no 
thirsty hunter ever drank a sweeter or a cooler 
draught. 

Thus the two springs remain, an everlasting 
memento of the foul murder of the brave 
Shos-shone, and the stern justice of the good 
Wan-kan-aga; and from that day the two 
mighty tribes of the Shos-shone and Comanche 
have remained severed and apart; although a 
long and bloody war followed the treacherous 
murder of the Shos-shone chief, and many a 
scalp torn from the head of the Comanche paid 
the penalty of his death. 

The American and Canadian trappers assert 
that the numerous springs which, under the 
head of Beer, Soda, Steam-boat springs, &c., 
abound in the Rocky Mountains, are the spots 
where his satanic majesty comes up from his 
kitchen to breathe the sweet fresh air, which 
must doubtless be refreshing to his worship 
after a few hours spent in superintending the 
culinary process going on below. 

Never was there such a paradise for hunters 
as this lone and solitary spot. The shelving 
prairie, at the bottom of which the springs are 



178 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

situated, is entirely surrounded by rugged 
mountains, and, containing perhaps two or 
three acres of excellent grass, affords a safe 
pasture to their animals, which would hardly 
care to wander from such feeding and the 
salitrose rocks they love so well to lick. Im- 
mediately overhead Pike's Peak, at an eleva- 
tion of 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, 
towers high into the clouds; whilst from the 
fountain, like a granitic amphitheatre, ridge 
after ridge, clothed with pine and cedar, rises 
and meets the stupendous mass of mountains, 
well called * 'Rocky," which stretches far away 
north and southward, their gigantic peaks being 
visible above the strata of clouds which hide 
their rugged bases. 

This first day the sun shone out bright and 
warm, and not a breath of wind ruffled the 
evergreen foliage of the cedar-groves. Gay- 
plumaged birds were twittering in the shrubs, 
and ravens and magpies were chattering over- 
head, attracted by the meat I had hung upon 
a tree; the mules, having quickly filled them- 
selves, were lying round the spring, basking 
lazily in the sun; and myself, seated on a pack, 
and pipe in mouth, with rifle ready at my side, 
indolently enjoyed the rays which, reflected from 
the white rock on which I was lying, were 
deliciously warm and soothing, A piece of 
rock, detached from the mountain-side and 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 179 

tumbling noisily down, caused me to look up in 
the direction whence it came. Half a dozen 
big-horns, or Rocky Mountain sheep, perched on 
the pinnacle of a rock, were gazing wonderingly 
upon the prairie, where the mules were rolling 
enveloped in clouds of dust. The enormous 
horns of the mountain sheep appeared so dis- 
proportionately heavy, that I every moment 
expected to see them lose their balance and 
topple over the giddy height. My motions 
frightened them, and, jumping from rock to 
rock, they quickly disappeared up the steepest 
part of the mountain. At the same moment a 
herd of black-tail deer crossed the corner of the 
glade within rifle-shot of me, but, fearing the 
vicinity of Indians, I refrained from firing 
before I had reconnoitred the vicinity for 
signs of their recent presence. 

Immediately over me, on the left bank of 
the stream, and high above the springs, was a 
small plateau, one of many which are seen on 
the mountain-sides. Three buffalo-bulls were 
here quietly feeding, and remained the whole 
afternoon undisturbed. I saw from the sign 
that they had very recently drunk at the 
springs, and that the little prairie where my 
animals were feeding was a frequent resort of 
solitary bulls. 

Perceiving that the game, which was in sight 
on every side of me, was unwarily tame, I 



180 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

judged from this fact that no Indians were in 
the immediate vicinity, and therefore I resolved 
to camp where I was. Ascending a bluff where 
had been an old Indian camp, I found a number 
of old lodge-poles, and packed them down to 
the springs, near which I made my fire, but out 
of arrow-shot of the shrubbery which lines the 
stream. Instead of permitting the animals to 
run loose, I picketed them close to and round 
the camp, in order that they might act as sen- 
tinels during the night, for no man or dog can 
so soon discover the presence or approach of an 
Indian as a mule. The organ and sense of smell- 
ing in these animals are so acute that they at 
once detect the scent peculiar to the natives, 
and, snorting loud with fear, and by turning 
their heads with ears pointed to the spot whence 
the danger is approaching, wake, and warn at 
the same moment, their sleeping masters of the 
impending peril. 

However, this night I was undisturbed, and 
slept soundly until the chattering of a magpie 
overhead awoke me, just as T>ike's Peak was 
being tinged with the first grey streak of dawn. 

Daybreak in this wild spot was beautiful in 
the extreme. While the deep gorge in which I 
lay was still buried in perfect gloom, the moun- 
tain-tops loomed grey and indistinct from out 
the morning mist. A faint glow of light broke 
over the ridge which shut out the valley from 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 181 

the east, and, spreading over the sky, first 
displayed the snow-covered peak, a wreath of 
vapory mist encircHng it, which gradually rose 
and disappeared. Suddenly the dull white of 
its summit glowed with light like burnished 
silver; and at the same moment the whole 
eastern sky blazed, as it were, in gold, and ridge 
and peak, catching the refulgence, glittered 
with the beams of the rising sun, which at 
length, peeping over the crest, flooded at once 
the valley with its dazzling light. 

Blowing the ashes of the slumbering fire, I 
placed upon it the little pot containing a piece 
of venison for my breakfast, and, relieving my 
four-footed sentries from their picket-guard, 
sallied down to the stream, the edges of which 
were still thickly crusted with ice, for the pur- 
pose of taking a luxuriously cold bath; and cold 
enough it was in all conscience. After my 
frugal breakfast, unseasoned by bread or salt, 
or by any other beverage than the refreshing 
soda-water, I took my rifle and sallied up the 
mountain to hunt, consigning my faithful 
animals to the protection of the Dryad of the 
fountain, offering to that potent sprite the 
never-failing "medicine" of the first whiff of my 
pipe before starting from the spot. 

Climbing up the mountain-side, I reached a 
level plateau, interspersed with clumps of pine 
and cedar, where a herd of black-tail deer were 



182 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

quietly feeding. As I had the "wind" I ap- 
proached under cover of a cedar whose branches 
feathered to the ground, and, resting my rifle 
in a forked limb, I selected the plumpest- 
looking of the band, a young buck, and "let 
him have it," as the hunters say. Struck 
through the heart, the deer for an instant 
stretched out its limbs convulsively, and then 
bounded away with the band, but in a zig-zag 
course; and unlike the rest, whose tails were 
lifted high, his black tufted appendage was 
fast "shut up." Whilst I, certain of his speedy 
fall, reloaded my rifle, the band, seeing their 
comrade staggering behind, suddenly stopped. 
The wounded animal with outstretched neck 
ran round and round for a few seconds in a giddy 
circle, and dropped dead within sixty yards of 
where I stood. The others, like sheep, walked 
slowly up to the dead animal, and again my 
rifle gave out its sharp crack from the screen 
of branches, and another of the band, jumping 
high in air, bit the dust. They were both 
miserably poor, so much so that I left all but 
the hind quarters and fleece, and hanging them 
upon a tree I returned to camp for a mule to 
pack in the meat. 

The mountains are full of grizzly bears, but, 
whether they had not yet left their winter- 
quarters thus early in the season, I saw but 
one or two tracks, one of which I followed un- 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 183 

successfully for many miles over the wildest 
part of the mountains, into the Bayou Salado. 
Whilst intent upon the trail, a clattering as of a 
regiment of cavalry immediately behind me 
made me bring my rifle to the ready, thinking 
that a whole nation of mounted Indians were 
upon me; but, looking back, a band of upwards 
of a hundred elk were dashing past, looking like 
a herd of mules, and in their passage down the 
mountain carrying with them a perfect ava- 
lanche of rocks and stones. I killed another 
deer on my return close to camp, which I 
reached, packing in the meat on my back, long 
after dark, arid found the animals, which 
received me with loud neighs of recognition and 
welcome, with well-filled bellies, taking their 
evening drink at the springs. 

I spent here a very pleasant time, and my 
animals began soon to improve upon the 
mountain-grass. Game was very abundant; 
indeed, I had far more meat than I possibly 
required; but the surplus I hung up to jerk, as 
now the sun was getting powerful enough for 
that process. 

I explored all the valleys and canons of the 
mountains, and even meditated an expedition 
to the summit of Pike's Peak, where mortal 
foot has never yet trod. No dread of Indians 
crossed my mind, probably because I had re- 
mained so long unmolested; and I was so per- 



184 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

fectly contented that I had even selected a 
camping-ground where I intended to remain 
two or three months, and probably should be 
at the present moment, if I had not got into a 
scrape. 
The bears latterly began to move, and their 
tracks became more frequent. One day I was 
hunting just at the foot of the Peak, when a 
large she-bear jumped out of a patch of cedars 
where she had been lying, and with a loud 
grunt charged up the mountain, and, dodging 
amongst the rocks, prevented my getting a 
crack at her. She was very old, and the grizzliest 
of the grizzly. She was within a few feet of me 
when I first saw her. It was unluckily nearly 
dark, or I should have followed and probably 
killed her, for they seldom run far, particularly 
at this season, when they are lank and weak. 
One day as I was following a band of deer 
over the broken ground to the eastward of the 
mountain, I came suddenly upon an Indian 
camp, with the fire still smouldering, and dried 
meat hanging on the trees. Robinson Crusoe 
could not have been more thoroughly dis- 
gusted at the sight of the "footprint in the 
sand," than was I at this inopportune discovery. 
I had anticipated a month or two's undis- 
turbed hunting in this remote spot, and now it 
was out of the question to imagine that the 
Indians would leave me unmolested. I presently 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 185 

saw two Indians, carrying a deer between them, 
emerge from the timber bordering the creek, 
whom I knew at once by their dress to be 
Arapahos. As, however, my camp was several 
miles distant, I still hoped that they had not 
yet discovered its locality, and continued my 
hunt that day, returning late in the evening 
to my solitary encampment. 

The next morning I removed the animals 
and packs to a prairie a little lower down the 
stream, which, although nearer the Indian 
camp, was almost hidden from view, being 
enclosed by pine-ridges and ragged buttes, 
and entered by a narrow gap filled with a 
dense growth of brush. When I had placed 
them in security, and taken the precaution to 
fasten them all to strong picket-pins, with a 
sufficient length of rope to enable them to feed 
at ease, and at the same time prevent them 
straying back to the springs, I again sallied out 
to hunt. 

A little before sunrise I descended the moun- 
tain to the springs, and, being very tired, after 
taking a refreshing draught of the cold water, 
I lay down on the rock by the side of the water 
and fell fast asleep. When I awoke the sun had 
already set; but although darkness was fast 
gathering over the mountain, I was surprised 
to see a bright light flickering against its sides. 
A glance assured me that the mountain was 



186 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

on fire, and, starting up, I saw at once the danger 
of my position. The bottom had been fired 
about a mile below the springs, and but a short 
distance from where I had secured my animals. 
A dense cloud of smoke was hanging over the 
gorge, and presently, a light air springing up 
from the east, a mass of flame shot up into the 
sky and rolled fiercely up the stream, the belt 
of dry brush on its banks catching fire and 
burning like tinder. The mountain was already 
invaded by the devouring element, and two 
wings of flame spread out from the main stream, 
which roaring along the bottom with the speed 
of a racehorse, licked the mountain-side, ex- 
tending its long line as it advanced. The dry 
pines and cedars hissed and cracked, as the 
flame, reaching them, ran up their trunks, and 
spread amongst the limbs, whilst the long 
waving grass underneath was a sea of fire. 
From the rapidity with which the fire advanced 
I feared that it would already have reached my 
animals, and hurried at once to the spot as fast 
as I could run. The prairie itself was as yet 
untouched, but the surrounding ridges were 
clothed in fire, and the mules, with stretched 
ropes, were trembling with fear. Throwing the 
saddle on my horse, and the pack on the 
steadiest mule, I quickly mounted, leaving on 
the ground a pile of meat, which I had not time 
to carry with me. 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 187 

The fire had already gained the prairie, and 
its long, dry grass was soon a sheet of flame, but, 
worse than all, the gap through which I had to 
retreat was burning. Setting spurs into Pan- 
chito's sides, I dashed him at the burning bush, 
and, though his mane and tail were singed in 
the attempt, he gallantly charged through it. 
Looking back, I saw the mules huddled together 
on the other side, and evidently fearing to pass 
the blazing barrier. As, however, to stop would 
have been fatal, I dashed on, but before I had 
proceeded twenty yards my old hunting mule, 
singed and smoking, was at my side, and the 
others close behind her. 

On all sides I was surrounded by fire. The 
whole scenery was illuminated, the peaks and 
distant ridges being as plainly visible as at 
noonday. The bottom was a roaring mass of 
flame, but on the other side, the prairie being 
more bare of cedar-bushes, the fire was less 
fierce and presented the only way of escape. 
To reach it, however, the creek had to be 
crossed, and the bushes on the banks were 
burning fiercely, which rendered it no easy 
matter; moreover, the edges were coated above 
the water with thick ice, which rendered it still 
more diflScult. I succeeded in pushing Panchito 
into the stream, but, in attempting to climb the 
opposite bank, a blaze of fire was puffed into 
his face, which caused him to rear on end, and. 



188 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

his hind feet flying away from him at the same 
moment on the ice, he fell backwards into the 
middle of the stream, and rolled over me in the 
deepest water. Panchito rose on his legs and 
stood trembling with affright in the middle of 
the stream, whilst I dived and groped for my 
rifle, which had slipped from my hands, and 
of course had sunk to the bottom. After a 
search of some minutes I found it, and, again 
mounting, made another attempt to cross a 
little farther down, in which I succeeded, and, 
followed by the mules, dashed through the fire 
and got safely through the line of blazing brush. 

Once in safety, I turned in my saddle and had 
leisure to survey the magnificent spectacle. The 
fire had extended at least three miles on each 
side the stream, and the mountain was one sheet 
of flame. A comparatively thin fine marked the 
progress of the devouring element, which, as 
there was no wind to direct its course, burned 
on all sides, actually roaring as it went. 

I had from the first no doubt but that the 
fire was caused by the Indians, who had prob- 
ably discovered my animals, but, thinking that 
a large party of hunters might be out, had 
taken advantage of a favorable wind to set 
fire to the bottom, hoping to secure the horse 
and mules in the confusion, without the risk of 
attacking the camp. Once or twice I felt sure 
that I saw dark figures running about near 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 189 

where I had seen the Indian camp the previous 
day, and just as I had charged through the gap I 
heard a loud yell, which was answered by 
another at a little distance. 

Singularly enough, just as I had got through 
the blazing line, a breeze sprang up from the 
westward and drove the fire after me, and I had 
again to beat a hasty retreat before it. * 

I encamped six or seven miles from the 
springs, and, whilst proceeding down the creek, 
deer and antelope continually crossed and 
recrossed the trail, some in their affright 
running back into the very jaws of the fire. As 
soon as I had secured the animals I endeavored 
to get my rifle into shooting order, but the 
water had so thoroughly penetrated and swelled 
the patching round the balls, that it was a long 
time before I succeeded in cleaning one barrel, 
the other defying all my attempts. This was a 
serious accident, as I could not but anticipate 
a visit from the Indians if they discovered the 
camp. 

All this time the fire was spreading out into 
the prairies, and, creeping up the "divide," was 
alread}^ advancing upon me. It extended at 
least five miles on the left bank of the creek, and 
on the right was more slowly creeping up the 

* This fire extended into the prairie, towards the waters of the 
Platte, upwards of forty miles, and for fourteen days its glare was 
visible on the Arkansa, fifty miles distant. 



190 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

mountain-side; while the brush and timber in 
the bottom was one body of flame. Besides the 
long sweeping line of the advancing flame, the 
plateaus on the mountain-side, and within 
the line, were burning in every direction, as 
the squalls and eddies down the gullies drove 
the fire to all points. 

The mountains themselves being invisible, 
the air, from the low ground where I then was, 
appeared a mass of fire, and huge crescents of 
flame danced as it were in the very sky, until a 
mass of timber blazing at once exhibited the 
sombre background of the stupendous moun- 
tains. 

I had scarcely slept an hour when huge clouds 
of smoke rolling down the bottom frightened 
the animals, whose loud whinnying awoke me, 
and, half suffocated by the dense smoke which 
hung heavily in the atmosphere, I again re- 
treated before the fire, which was rapidly 
advancing: and this time I did not stop until I 
had placed thirty or forty miles between me 
and the enemy. I then encamped in a thickly- 
timbered bottom on the Fontaine-qui-bouille, 
where the ground, which had been burned by 
the hunters in the winter, was studded like a 
wheat-field with green grass. On this the ani- 
mals fared sumptuously for several days — 
better, indeed, than I did myself, for game was 
very scarce, and in such poor condition as to 



AMONG THE SPRINGS 191 

be almost uneatable. 'While encamped on this 
stream, the wolves infested the camp to that 
degree, that I could scarcely leave my saddles 
for a few minutes on the ground without finding 
the straps of rawhide gnawed to pieces; and one 
night the hungry brutes ate up all the ropes 
which were tied on the necks of the animals and 
trailed along the ground: they were actually 
devoured to within a yard of the mules' throats. 
One evening a wolf came into camp as I was 
engaged cleaning my rifle, one barrel of which 
was still unserviceable, and a long hickory 
wiping-stick in it at the time. As I was hidden 
by a tree, the wolf approached the fire within 
a few feet, and was soon tugging away at an 
apishamore or saddle-cloth of buffalo calfskin 
which lay on the ground. Without dreaming 
that the rifle would go off, I put a cap on the 
useless barrel, and, holding it out across my 
knee in a line with the wolf, snap — ph-i-zz — 
bang — went the charge of damp powder, much 
to my astonishment, igniting the stick which 
remained in the barrel, and driving it like a 
fiery comet against the ribs of the beast, who, 
yelling with pain, darted into the prairie at 
the top of his speed, his singed hair smoking as 
he ran. 



CHAPTER X 

Passing of the Buffalo 

IT is a singular fact that within the last two 
years the prairies, extending from the 
mountains to a hundred miles or more down 
the Arkansa, have been entirely abandoned by 
the buffalo. Indeed, in crossing from the set- 
tlements of New Mexico, the boundary of their 
former range is marked by skulls and bones, 
which appear fresher as the traveller advances 
westward and towards the waters of the Platte. 
As the skulls are said to last only three years on 
the surface of the ground, that period has con- 
sequently seen the gradual disappearance of 
the buffalo from their former haunts. 

With the exception of the Bayou Salado, one 
of their favorite pastures, they are now rarely 
met with in large bands on the upper waters 
of the Arkansa; but straggling bulls pass occa- 
sionally the foot of the mountain, seeking 
wintering-places on the elevated plateaus, which 
are generally more free from snow than the 
lowland prairies, by reason of the high winds. 
The bulls separate from the cows about the 
month of September, and scatter over the 
192 



PASSING OF THE BUFFALO 193 

prairies and into the mountains, where they 
recruit themselves during the winter. A few 
males, however, always accompany the cows, 
to act as guides and defenders of the herd, on 
the outskirts of which they are always stationed. 
The countless bands which are seen together at 
all seasons are generally composed of cows 
alone; the bulls congregating in smaller herds, 
and on the flanks of the main body. 

The meat of the cow is infinitely preferable 
to that of the male buffalo; but that of the bull, 
particularly if killed in the mountains, is in 
better condition during the winter months. 
From the end of June to September bull-meat 
is rank and tough, and almost uneatable; while 
the cows are in perfection, and as fat as stall- 
fed oxen, the depouille, or fleece, exhibiting 
frequently four inches and more of solid fat. 

Whether it is that the meat itself (which, by 
the way, is certainly the most delicious of 
flesh) is most easy of digestion, or whether the 
digestive organs of hunters are "ostrichified" 
by the severity of exercise, and the bracing, 
wholesome climate of the mountains and plains, 
it is a fact that most prodigious quantities of 
"fat cow" may be swallowed with the greatest 
impunity, and not the slightest inconvenience 
ever follows the mammoth feasts of the gour- 
mands of the far west. The powers of the 
Canadian voyageurs and hunters in the con- 



194 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

sumption of meat strike the greenhorn with 
wonder and astonishment; and are only equalled 
by the gastronomical capabilities exhibited by 
Indian dogs, both following the same plan in 
their epicurean gorgings. 

On slaughtering a fat cow, the hunter care- 
fully lays by, as a tit-bit for himself, the houdins 
and medullary intestine, which are prepared 
by being inverted and partially cleaned (this, 
however, is not thought indispensable). The 
depouille or fleece, the short and delicious 
hump-rib and tenderloin, are then carefully 
stowed away, and with these the rough edge of 
the appetite is removed. But the course is, par 
excellence, the sundry yards of boudin, which, 
lightly browned over the embers of the fire, 
slide down the well-lubricated throat of the 
hungry mountaineer, yard after yard disap- 
pearing in quick succession. 

No animal requires so much killing as a 
buffalo. Unless shot through the lungs or spine, 
they invariably escape; and, even when thus 
mortally wounded, or even struck through the 
very heart, they will frequently run a consider- 
able distance before falling to the ground, 
particularly if they see the hunter after the 
wound is given. If, however, he keeps himself 
concealed after firing, the animal will remain 
still, if it does not immediately fall. It is a 
most painful sight to witness the dying struggles 



PASSING OF THE BUFFALO 195 

of the huge beast. The buffalo invariably 
evinces the greatest repugnance to lie down 
when mortally wounded, apparently conscious 
that, when once touching mother earth, there is 
no hope left him. A bull, shot through the 
heart or lungs, with blood streaming from his 
mouth, and protruding tongue, his eyes rolling, 
bloodshot, and glazed with death, braces him- 
self on his legs, swaying from side to side, stamps 
impatiently at his growing weakness, or lifts 
his rugged and matted head and helplessly 
bellows out his conscious impotence. To the 
last, however, he endeavors to stand upright, 
and plants his limbs farther apart, but to no 
purpose. As the body rolls like a ship at sea, 
his head slowly turns from side to side, looking 
about, as it were, for the unseen and treacherous 
enemy who has brought him, the lord of the 
plains, to such a pass. Gouts of purple blood 
spurt from his mouth and nostrils, and gradually 
the failing limbs refuse longer to support the 
ponderous carcase; more heavily rolls the body 
from side to side, until suddenly, for a brief 
instant, it becomes rigid and still; a convulsive 
tremor seizes it, and, with a low sobbing gasp, 
the huge animal falls over on his side, the limbs 
extended stark and stiff, and the mountain of 
flesh without life or motion. 

The first attempts of a "greenhorn" to kill a 
buffalo are invariably unsuccessful. He sees 



196 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

before him a mass of flesh, nearly five feet in 
depth from the top of the hump to the brisket, 
and consequently imagines that, by planting his 
ball midway between these points, it must 
surely reach the vitals. Nothing, however, is 
more erroneous than the impression; for to 
"throw a buffalo in his tracks," which is the 
phrase for making a clean shot, he must be 
struck but a few inches above the brisket, 
behind the shoulder, where alone, unless the 
spine be divided, a death-shot will reach the 
vitals. I once shot a bull, the ball passing 
directly through the very centre of the heart 
and tearing a hole sufficiently large to insert 
the finger, which ran upwards of half a mile 
before it fell, and yet the ball had passed 
completely through the animal, cutting its 
heart almost in two. I also saw eighteen shots, 
the half of them muskets, deliberately fired 
into an old bull, at six paces, and some of them 
passing through the body, the poor animal 
standing the whole time, and making feeble 
attempts to charge. The nineteenth shot, with 
the muzzle touching his body, brought him to 
the ground. The head of the buffalo-bull is 
so thickly covered with coarse matted hair, that 
a ball fired at half a dozen paces will not pene- 
trate the skull through the shaggy f rontlock. I 
have frequently attempted this with a rifle 



PASSING OF THE BUFFALO 197 

carrying twenty-five balls to the pound, but 
never once succeeded. 

/ Notwithstanding the great and wanton de- 
struction of the buffalo, many years must 
elapse before this lordly animal becomes extinct. 
In spite of their numerous enemies, they still 
exist in countless numbers, and, could any 
steps be taken to protect them, as is done in 
respect of other game, they would ever remain 
the life and ornament of the boundless prairies, 
and afford ample and never-failing provision 
to the travellers over these otherwise desert 
plains. Some idea of the prodigious slaughter 
of these animals may be formed, by mentioning 
the fact that upwards of one hundred thousand 
buffalo robes find their way annually into the 
United States and Canada; and these are the 
skins of cows alone, the bull's hide being so 
thick that it is never dressed. Besides this, 
the Indians kill a certain number for their own 
use, exclusive of those whose meat they require; 
and the reckless slaughter of buffalo by parties 
of white men, emigrants to the Columbia, 
California, and elsewhere, leaving, as they 
proceed on their journey, thousands of un- 
touched carcases on the trail, swells the aggre- 
gate of this wholesale destruction to an enor- 
mous amount. 



CHAPTER XI 

Big Game of the Mountains 

THE grizzly bear is the fiercest of the ferae 
naturae of the mountains. His great 
strength and wonderful tenacity of life 
render an encounter with him anything but 
desirable, and therefore it is a rule with the 
Indians and white hunters never to attack him 
unless backed by a strong party. Although, 
like every other wild animal, he usually flees 
from man, yet at certain seasons, when mad- 
dened by love or hunger, he not unfrequently 
charges at first sight of a foe; when, unless 
killed dead, a hug at close quarters is anything 
but a pleasant embrace, his strong hooked 
claws stripping the flesh from the bones as 
easily as a cook peels an onion. Many are the 
tales of bloody encounters with these animals 
which the trappers delight to recount to the 
"greenhorn," to enforce their caution as to the 
fool-hardiness of ever attacking the grizzly 
bear. 

Some years ago a trapping party was on their 
way to the mountains, led, I believe, by old 

Sublette, a well-known captain of the West. 
198 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 199 

Amongst the band was one John Glass,* a 
trapper who had been all his life in the moun- 
tains, and had seen, probably, more exciting 
adventures, and had had more wonderful and 
hairbreadth escapes, than any of the rough and 
hardy fellows who make the West their home, 
and whose lives are spent in a succession of 
perils and privations. On one of the streams 
running from the **Black Hills," a range of 
mountains northward of the Platte, Glass and a 
companion were one day setting their traps, 
when, on passing through a cherry-thicket 
which skirted the stream, the former, who was 
in advance, descried a large grizzly bear quietly 
turning up the turf with his nose, searching for 
yampa-roots or pig-nuts, which there abounded. 
Glass immediately called his companion, and 
both, proceeding cautiously, crept to the skirt 
of the thicket, and, taking steady aim at the 
animal, whose broadside was fairly exposed at 
the distance of twenty yards, discharged their 
rifles at the same instant, both balls taking 
effect, but not inflicting a mortal wound. The 
bear, giving a groan of pain, jumped with all 
four legs from the ground, and, seeing the 
wreaths of smoke hanging at the edge of the 
brush, charged at once in that direction, snort- 
ing with pain and fury. 

"Hurra w. Bill!" roared out Glass, as he saw 
* Hugh Glass. {Ed.). 



200 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the animal rushing towards them, "we'll be 
made 'meat' of as sure as shootin'!" and, 
leaving the tree behind which he had concealed 
himself, he bolted through the thicket, followed 
closely by his companion. The brush was so 
thick, that they could scarcely make their way 
through, whereas the weight and strength of 
the bear carried him through all obstructions, 
and he was soon close upon them. 

About a hundred yards from the thicket was 
a steep bluff, and between these points was a 
level piece of prairie; Glass saw that his only 
chance was to reach this bluff, and, shouting 
to his companion to make for it, they both 
broke from the cover and flew like lightning 
across the open space. When more than half 
way across, the bear being about fifty yards 
behind them. Glass, who was leading, tripped 
over a stone, and fell to the ground, and just 
as he rose to his feet, the beast, rising on his 
hind feet, confronted him. As he closed. Glass, 
never losing his presence of mind, cried to his 
companion to load up quickly, and discharged his 
pistol full into the body of the animal, at the 
same moment that the bear, with blood stream- 
ing from its nose and mouth, knocked the 
pistol from his hand with one blow of its paw, 
and, fixing its claws deep into his flesh, rolled 
with him to the ground. 

The hunter, notwithstanding his hopeless 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 201 

situation, struggled manfully, drawing his 
knife and plunging it several times into the 
body of the beast, which, furious with pain, tore 
with tooth and claw the body of the wretched 
victim, actually baring the ribs of flesh, and 
exposing the very bones. Weak with loss of 
blood, and with eyes blinded with the blood 
which streamed from his lacerated scalp, the 
knife at length fell from his hand, and Glass 
sank down insensible, and to all appearance 
dead. 

His companion, who, up to this moment, had 
watched the conflict, which, however, lasted 
but a few seconds, thinking that his turn would 
come next, and not having had presence of mind 
even to load his rifle, fled with might and main 
back to camp, where he narrated the miserable 
fate of poor Glass. The captain of the band of 
trappers, however, despatched the man with a 
companion back to the spot where he lay, with 
instructions to remain by him if still alive, or 
to bury him if, as all supposed he was, defunct, 
promising them at the same time a sum of 
money for so doing. 

On reaching the spot, which was red with 
blood, they found Glass still breathing, and the 
bear, dead and stiff, actually lying upon his 
body. Poor Glass presented a horrifying 
spectacle: the flesh was torn in strips from his 
chest and limbs, and large flaps strewed the 



202 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

ground; his scalp hung bleeding over his face, 
which was also lacerated in a shocking manner. 

The bear, besides the three bullets which had 
pierced its body, bore the marks of the fierce 
nature of Glass's final struggle, no less than 
twenty gaping wounds in the breast and belly 
testifying to the gallant defence of the moun- 
taineer. 

Imagining that, if not already dead, the poor 
fellow could not possibly survive more than a 
few moments, the men collected his arms, 
stripped him even of his hunting-shirt and 
moccasins, and, merely putting the dead bear 
off the body, mounted their horses, and slowly 
followed the remainder of the party, saying, 
when they reached it, that Glass was dead, as 
probably they thought, and that they had 
buried him. 

In a few days the gloom which pervaded the 
trappers' camp, occasioned by the loss of a 
favorite companion, disappeared, and Glass's 
misfortune, although frequently mentioned over 
the camp-fire, at length was almost entirely 
forgotten in the excitement of the hunt and 
Indian perils which surrounded them. 

Months elapsed, the hunt was over, and the 
party of trappers were on their way to the 
trading-fort with their packs of beaver. It 
was nearly sundown, and the round adobe 
bastions of the mud-built fort were just in 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 203 

sight, when a horseman was seen slowly ap- 
proaching them along the banks of the river. 
When near enough to discern his figure, they 
saw a lank cadaverous form with a face so scar- 
red and disfigured that scarcely a feature was 
discernible. Approaching the leading horsemen, 
one of whom happened to be the companion of 
the defunct Glass in his memorable bear 
scrape, the stranger, in a hollow voice, reining 
in his horse before them, exclaimed, "Hurra w. 
Bill, my boy! you thought I was *gone under' 
that time, did you? but hand me over my horse 
and gun, my lad; I ain't dead yet by a dam 
sight!" 

What was the astonishment of the whole 
party, and the genuine horror of Bill and his 
worthy companion in the burial story, to hear 
the well-known, though now much altered, voice 
of John Glass, who had been killed by a grizzly 
bear months before, and comfortably interred, 
as the two men had reported, and all had 
believed! 

There he was, however, and no mistake about 
it; and all crowded round to hear from his lips, 
how, after the lapse of he knew not how long, 
he had gradually recovered, and being without 
arms, or even a butcher-knife, he had fed 
upon the almost putrid carcase of the bear for 
several days, until he had regained sufficient 
strength to crawl, when, tearing off as much of 



204 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the bear's meat as he could carry in his en- 
feebled state, he crept down the river; and 
suffering excessive torture from his wounds, 
and hunger, and cold, he made the best of his 
way to the fort, which was some eighty or ninety 
miles from the place of his encounter with the 
bear, and, living the greater part of the way 
upon roots and berries, he after many, many 
days, arrived in a pitiable state, from which he 
had now recovered, and was, to use his own 
expression, "as slick as a peeled onion." * 

A trapper on Arkansa, named Valentine 
Herring, but better known as "Old Rube," told 
me that once, when visiting his traps one 
morning on a stream beyond the mountains, he 
found one missing, at the same time that he 
discovered fresh bear "sign" about the banks. 
Proceeding down the river in search of the 
lost trap, he heard the noise of some large 
body breaking through the thicket of plum 
bushes which belted the stream. Ensconcing 
himself behind a rock, he presently observed a 
huge grizzly bear emerge from the bush and 
limp on three legs to a flat rock, which he 
mounted, and then, quietly seating himself, he 
raised one of his fore paws, on which Rube, to 
his amazement, discovered his trap tight and 
fast. 

* For other accounts of this episode see Chittenden's "American 
Fur Trade, ' ' chapter VIII . (Ed.) 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 205 

The bear, lifting his iron-gloved foot close to 
his face, gravely examined it, turning his paw 
round and round, and quaintly bending his 
head from side to side, looking at the trap from 
the corners of his eyes, and with an air of 
mystery and puzzled curiosity, for he evidently 
could not make out what the novel and painful 
appendage could be; and every now and then 
smelt it and tapped it lightly on the rock. This, 
however, only paining the animal the more, he 
would lick the trap, as if deprecating its anger, 
and wishing to conciliate it. 

After watching these curious antics for some 
time, as the bear seemed inclined to resume 
his travels, Rube, to regain his trap, was neces- 
sitated to bring the bear's cogitations to a close, 
and, leveUing his rifle, shot him dead, cutting 
off his paw and returning with it to camp, where 
the trappers were highly amused at the idea of 
"trapping a b'ar." 

Near the same spot where Glass encountered 
his "scrape," some score of Sioux squaws were 
one day engaged in gathering cherries in a 
thicket near their village, and had already 
nearly filled their baskets, when a bear suddenly 
appeared in the midst, and, with a savage 
growl, charged amongst them. Away ran the 
terrified squaws, yelling and shrieking, out of 
the shrubbery, nor stopped until safely en- 
sconced within their lodges. Bruin, however. 



206 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

preferring fruit to meat, albeit of tender squaws, 
after routing the petticoats, betook himself to 
the baskets, which he quickly emptied, and 
then quietly retired. 

Bears are exceedingly fond of plums and 
cherries, and a thicket of this fruit in the vicinity 
of the mountains is, at the season when they are 
ripe, a sure "find" for Mr. Bruin. When they 
can get fruit they prefer such food to meat, but 
are, nevertheless, carnivorous animals. 

The game, par excellence, of the Rocky 
Mountains, and that which takes precedence 
in a comestible point of view, is the carnero 
cimmaron of the Mexicans, the Bighorn or 
Mountain sheep of the Canadian hunters. This 
animal, which partakes of the nature of both 
the deer and the goat, resembles the latter 
more particularly in its habits, and its character- 
istic liking for lofty, inaccessible points of the 
mountains, whence it seldom descends to the 
upland valleys excepting in very severe weather. 
In size the mountain-sheep is between the 
domestic animal and the common red deer of 
America, but more strongly made than the 
latter. Its color is a brownish dun (the hair 
being tipped with a darker tinge as the animaFs 
age increases), with a whitish streak on the hind 
quarters, the tail being shorter than a deer's, 
and tipped with black. The horns of the male 
are enormous, curved backwards, and often 



. BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 207 

three feet in length with a circumference of 
twenty inches near the head. The hunters 
assert that, in descending the precipitous sides 
of the mountains, the sheep frequently leap 
from a height of twenty or thirty feet, invariably 
alighting on their horns, and thereby saving 
their bones from certain dislocation.* 

They are even more acute in the organs of 
sight and smell than the deer; and as they love 
to resort to the highest and most inaccessible 
spots, whence a view can readily be had of 
approaching danger, and particularly as one 
of the band is always stationed on the most 
commanding pinnacle of rock as sentinel, whilst 
the others are feeding, it is no easy matter to 
get within rifle-shot of the cautious animals. 
When alarmed they ascend still higher up the 
mountain: halting now and then on some 
overhanging crag, and looking down at the 
object which may have frightened them, they 
again commence their ascent, leaping from point 
to point, and throwing down an avalanche of 
rocks and stones as they bound up the steep 
sides of the mountain. They are generally very 
abundant in all parts of the main chain of the 
Rocky Mountains, but particularly so in the 
vicinity of the "Parks" and the Bayou Salado, 
as well as in the range between the upper waters 
of the Del Norte and Arkansa, called the 

* This fable is also told of the European ibex. (Ed.) 



208 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

"Wet Mountain" by the trappers. On the 
Sierra Madre, or Cordillera of New Mexico and 
Chihuahua, they are also numerous. 

The first mountain-sheep I killed, I got with- 
in shot of in rather a curious manner. I had 
undertaken several unsuccessful hunts for the 
purpose of procuring a pair of horns of this 
animal, as well as some skins, which are of 
excellent quality when dressed, but had almost 
given up any hope of approaching them, when 
one day, having killed and butchered a black- 
tail deer in the mountains, I sat down with 
my back to a small rock and fell asleep. On 
awakening, feeling inclined for a smoke, I 
drew from my pouch a pipe, and flint and steel, 
and began leisurely to cut a charge of tobacco. 
Whilst thus engaged I became sensible of a 
peculiar odor which was wafted right into my 
face by the breeze, and which, on snuflang it 
once or twice, I immediately recognized as 
that which emanates from sheep and goats. 
Still I never thought that one of the former 
animals could be in the neighborhood, for my 
mule was picketed on the little plateau where I 
sat, and was leisurely cropping the buffalo- 
grass which thickly covered it. 

Looking up carelessly from my work, as a 
whiff stronger than before reached my nose, 
what was my astonishment at seeing ^ve 
mountain-sheep within ten paces, and regarding 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 209 

me with a curious and astonished gaze ! Without 
drawing a breath, I put out my hand and grasped 
the rifle, which was lying within reach; but the 
motion, shght as it was, sufliced to alarm them, 
and with a loud bleat the old ram bounded up 
the mountain, followed by the band and at so 
rapid a pace that all my attempts to "draw a 
bead" upon them were ineffectual. When, 
however, they reached a little plateau about one 
hundred and fifty yards from where I stood, 
they suddenly stopped, and, approaching the 
edge, looked down at me, shaking their heads, 
and bleating their displeasure at the intrusion. 
No sooner did I see them stop than my rifle was 
at my shoulder, and covering the broad side 
of the one nearest to me. An instant after and 
I pulled the trigger, and at the report the sheep 
jumped convulsively from the rock, and made 
one attempt to follow its flying companions; 
but its strength failed, and, circling round 
once or twice at the edge of the plateau, it fell 
over on its side, and, rolling down the steep 
rock, tumbled dead very near me. My prize 
proved a very fine young male, but had not a 
large pair of horns. It was, however, "seal" 
fat, and afforded me a choice supply of meat, 
which was certainly the best I had eaten in the 
mountains, being fat and juicy, and in flavor 
somewhat partaking both of the domestic sheep 
and buffalo. 



210 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Several attempts have been made to secure 
the young of these animals and transport them 
to the States; and, for this purpose, an old 
mountaineer, one Billy Williams, took with him 
a troop of milch-goats, by which to bring up 
the young sheep; but although he managed 
to take several fine lambs, I believe that he 
did not succeed in reaching the frontier with one 
living specimen out of some half-score. The 
hunters frequently rear them in the mountains; 
and they become greatly attached to their 
masters, enlivening the camp with their merry 
gambols. 

The elk, in point of size, ranks next to the 
buffalo. It is found in all parts of the moun- 
tains, and descends not unfrequently far down 
into the plains in the vicinity of the larger 
streams. A full-grown elk is as large as a mule, 
with rather a heavy neck and body, and stout 
limbs, its feet leaving a track as large as that 
of a two-year-old steer. They are dull, sluggish 
animals, at least in comparison with others of 
the deer tribe, and are easily approached and 
killed. In winter they congregate in large herds, 
often numbering several hundreds; and at that 
season are fond of travelling, their track through 
the snow having the appearance of a broad 
beaten road. The elk requires less killing than 
any other of the deer tribe (whose tenacity of 
life is remarkable) ; a shot anywhere in the fore 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 211 

part of the animal brings it to the ground. 
On one occasion I killed two with one ball, 
which passed through the neck of the first, and 
struck the second, which was standing a few 
paces distant, through the heart: both fell dead. 
A deer, on the contrary, often runs a consider- 
able distance, strike it where you will. The 
meat of the elk is strong flavored, and more 
like "poor bull" than venison: it is only eatable 
when the animal is fat and in good condition; 
at other times it is strong tasted and stringy. 

The antelope, the smallest of the deer tribe, 
affords the hunter a sweet and nutritious meat, 
when that of nearly every other description of 
game, from the poorness and scarcity of the 
grass during the winter, is barely eatable. 
They are seldom seen now in very large bands 
on the grand prairies, having been driven from 
their old pastures by the Indians and white 
hunters. The former, by means of "surrounds," 
an enclosed space formed in one of the passes 
used by these animals, very often drive into the 
toils an entire band of antelope of several 
hundreds, when not one escapes slaughter. 

I have seen them on the western sides of the 
mountains, and in the mountain valleys, in 
herds of several thousands. They are exceed- 
ingly timid animals, but at the same time 
wonderfully curious; and their curiosity very 
often proves their death, for the hunter, taking 



212 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

advantage of this weakness, plants his wiping- 
stick in the ground, with a cap or red handker- 
chief on the point, and, conceahng himself in 
the long grass, waits, rifle in hand, the approach 
of the inquisitive antelope, who, seeing an un- 
usual object in the plain, trots up to it, and, 
coming within range of the deadly tube, pays 
dearly for his temerity. An antelope, when 
alone, is one of the stupidest of beasts, and 
becomes so confused and frightened at sight 
of a travelling party, that it frequently runs 
right into the midst of the danger it seeks to 
avoid. 

I had heard most wonderful accounts from 
the trappers of an animal, the existence of 
which was beyond all doubt, which, although 
exceedingly rare, was occasionally met with in 
the mountains, but, from its supposed danger- 
ous ferocity, and the fact of its being a cross 
between the devil and a bear, was never 
molested by the Indians or white hunters, and 
a wide berth given whenever the animal made 
its dreaded appearance. Most wonderful stories 
were told of its audacity and fearlessness; how it 
sometimes jumps from an overhanging rock on 
a deer or buffalo, and, fastening on its neck, 
soon brings it to the ground; how it has been 
known to leap upon a hunter when passing 
near its place of concealment, and devour him 
in a twinkhng — often charging furiously into a 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 213 

camp, and playing all sorts of pranks on the 
goods and chattels of the mountaineers. The 
general belief was that the animal owes its 
paternity to the Old Gentleman himself; but 
the most reasonable declare it to be a cross 
between the bear and wolf. 

Hunting one day with an old Canadian 
trapper, he told me that, in a part of the 
mountains which we were about to visit on the 
morrow, he once had a battle with a "car- 
cagieu," which lasted upwards of two hours, 
during which he fired a pouchful of balls into 
the animal's body, which spat them out as fast 
as they were shot in. To the truth of this 
probable story he called all the saints to bear 
witness. 

Two days after, as we were toiling up a steep 
ridge after a band of mountain-sheep, my 
companion, who was in advance, suddenly 
threw himself flat behind a rock, and exclaimed 
in a smothered tone, signalling me with his 
hand to keep down and conceal myself, "Sacre 
enfant de Garce, mais here's von dam car- 
cagieu!" 

I immediately cocked my rifle, and, advancing 
to the rock,and peeping over it, saw an animal, 
about the size of a large badger, engaged in 
scraping up the earth about a dozen paces 
from where we were concealed. Its color was 
dark, almost black; its body long, and apparently 



214 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

tailless; and I at once recognized the mysterious 
beast to be a "glutton." After I had suflSciently 
examined the animal, I raised my rifle to shoot, 
when a louder than common "Enfant de Garce" 
from my companion alarmed the animal, and 
it immediately ran ojff, when I stood up and 
fired both barrels after it, but without effect; 
the attempt exciting a derisive laugh from the 
Canadian, who exclaimed, "Pe gar, may be you 
got fifty balls; vel, shoot 'em all at de dam 
carcagieu, and he not care a dam!" 

The skins of these animals are considered 
"great medicine" by the Indians, and will 
fetch almost any price. They are very rarely 
met with on the plains, preferring the upland 
valleys and broken ground of the mountains, 
which afford them a better field for their method 
of securing game, which is by lying in wait 
behind a rock, or on the steep bank of a ravine, 
concealed by a tree or shrub, until a deer or 
antelope passes underneath, when they spring 
upon the animal's back, and, holding on with 
their strong and sharp claws, which they bury 
in the flesh, soon bring it bleeding to the ground. 
The Indians say they are purely carnivorous; 
but I imagine that, like the bear, they not 
unfrequently eat fruit and roots, when animal 
food is not to be had. 

I have said that the mountain wolves, and, 
still more so, the coyote of the plains, are less 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 215 

frightened at the sight of man than any other 
beast. One night, when encamped on an affluent 
of the Platte, a heavy snow-storm faUing at 
the time, I lay down in my blanket, after first 
heaping on the fire a vast pile of wood, to burn 
till morning. In the middle of the night I was 
awakened by the excessive cold, and, turning 
towards the fire, which was burning bright and 
cheerfully, what was my astonishment to see 
a large grey wolf sitting quietly before it, his 
eyes closed, and his head nodding in sheer 
drowsiness! Although I had frequently seen 
wolves evince their disregard to fires, by coming 
within a few feet of them to seize upon any 
scraps of meat which might be left exposed, I 
had never seen or heard of one approaching so 
close as to warm his body, and for that purpose 
alone. However, I looked at him for some 
moments without disturbing the beast, and 
closed my eyes and went to sleep, leaving him 
to the quiet enjoyment of the blaze. 

This is not very wonderful when I mention 
that it is a very common thing for these animals 
to gnaw the straps of a saddle on which your 
head is reposing for a pillow. 

When I turned my horse's head from Pike's 
Peak I quite regretted the abandonment of my 
mountain life, solitary as it was, and more than 
once thought of again taking the trail to the Bayou 
Salado, where I had enjoyed such good sport. 



216 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Apart from the feeling of loneliness which 
any one in my situation must naturally have 
experienced, surrounded by stupendous works 
of nature, which in all their solitary grandeur 
frowned upon me, and sinking into utter in- 
significance the miserable mortal who crept 
beneath their shadow; still there was something 
inexpressibly exhilarating in the sensation of 
positive freedom from all worldly care, and a 
consequent expansion of the sinews, as it were, 
of mind and body, which made me feel elastic 
as a ball of Indian rubber, and in a state of 
such perfect insouciance that no more dread 
of scalping Indians entered my mind than if I 
had been sitting in Broadway, in one of the 
windows of Astor House. A citizen of the world, 
I never found any difficulty in investing my 
resting-place, wherever it might be, with all 
the attributes of a home; and hailed, with 
delight equal to that which the artificial com- 
forts of a civilized home would have caused, the, 
to me, domestic appearance of my hobbled 
animals, as they grazed around the camp, when 
I returned after a hard day's hunt. By the way, 
I may here remark that my sporting feelings 
underwent a great change when I was neces- 
sitated to follow and kill game for the support of 
life, and as a means of subsistence; and the 
slaughter of deer and buffalo no longer became 
sport when the object was to fill the larder, and 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 217 

the excitement of the hunt was occasioned by 
the alternative of a plentiful feast or a banyan; 
and, although ranking under the head of the 
most redhot of sportsmen, I can safely acquit 
myself of ever wantonly destroying a deer or 
buffalo unless I was in need of meat; and such 
consideration for the ferae naturae is common 
to all the mountaineers who look to game alone 
for their support 

Although liable to an accusation of barbarism, 
I must confess that the very happiest moments 
of my life have been spent in the wilderness of 
the Far West; and I never recall but with 
pleasure the remembrance of my solitary camp 
in the Bayou Salado, with no friend near me 
more faithful than my rifle, and no companions 
more sociable than my good horse and mules, or 
the attendant coyote which nightly serenaded 
us. With a plentiful supply of dry pine-logs on 
the fire, and its cheerful blaze streaming far up 
into the sky, illuminating the valley far and 
near, and exhibiting the animals, with well- 
filled bellies, standing contentedly at rest over 
their picket-pins, I would sit cross-legged 
enjoying the genial warmth, and, pipe in mouth, 
watch the blue smoke as it curled upwards, 
building castles in its vapory wreaths, and, in 
the fantastic shapes it assumed, peopling the 
solitude with figures of those far away. Scarcely 
however, did I ever wish to change such hours 



218 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

of freedom for all the luxuries of civilized life, 
and, unnatural and extraordinary as it may 
appear, yet such is the fascination of the life of 
the mountain hunter, that I believe not one 
instance could be adduced of even the most 
polished and civilized of men, who had once 
tasted the sweets of its attendant liberty and 
freedom from every worldly care, not regretting 
the moment when he exchanged it for the monot- 
onous life of the settlements, nor sighing, and 
sighing again, once more to partake of its 
pleasures and allurements. 

Nothing can be more social and cheering 
than the welcome blaze of the camp fire on a 
cold winter's night, and nothing more amusing 
or entertaining, if not instructive, than the 
rough conversation of the single-minded moun- 
taineers, whose simple daily talk is all of exciting 
adventure, since their whole existence is spent 
in scenes of peril and privation; and conse- 
quently the narration of their every-day life 
is a tale of thrilling accidents and hair-breadth 
'scapes, which, though simple matter-of-fact to 
them, appear a startling romance to those who 
are not acquainted with the nature of the lives 
led by these men, who, with the sky for a roof 
and their rifles to supply them with food and 
clothing, call no man lord or master, and are 
free as the game they follow. 

A hunter's camp in the Rocky Mountains is 



BIG GAME OF THE MOUNTAINS 219 

quite a picture. He does not always take the 
trouble to build any shelter unless it is in the 
snow season, when a couple of deerskins 
stretched over a willow frame shelter him from 
the storm. At other seasons he is content with 
a mere breakwind. Near at hand are two 
upright poles, with another supported on the 
top of these, on which is displayed, out of reach 
of hungry wolf or coyote, meat of every variety 
the mountains afford. Buffalo depouilles, hams 
of deer and mountain-sheep, beaver-tails, &c., 
stock the larder. Under the shelter of the skins 
hang his powder-horn and bullet-pouch; while 
his rifle, carefully defended from the damp, is 
always within reach of his arm. Round the 
blazing fire the hunters congregate at night, 
and whilst cleaning their rifles, making or 
mending mocassins, or running bullets, spin 
long yarns of their hunting exploits, &c. 

Some hunters, who have married Indian 
squaws, carry about with them the Indian 
lodge of buffalo-skins, which are stretched in a 
conical form round a frame of poles. Near the 
camp is always seen the "graining-block," a log 
of wood with the bark stripped and perfectly 
smooth, which is planted obliquely in the 
ground, and on which the hair is removed from 
the skins to prepare them for being dressed. 
There are also "stretching-frames," on which 
the skins are placed to undergo the process of 



220 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

dubbing, which is the removal of the flesh and 
fatty particles adhering to the skin, by means 
of the "dubber," an instrument made of the 
stock of an elk's horn. The last process is the 
**smoking," which is effected by digging a 
round hole in the ground and lighting in it an 
armful of rotten wood or punk. Three sticks 
are then planted round the hole, and their tops 
brought together and tied. The skin is then 
placed on this frame, and all the holes by which 
the smoke might escape carefully stopped: in 
ten or twelve hours the skin is thoroughly 
smoked and ready for immediate use. 

The camp is invariably made in a picturesque 
locality, for like the Indian, the white hunter 
has ever an eye to the beautiful. The broken 
ground of the mountains, with their numerous 
tumbling and babbling rivulets, and groves 
and thickets of shrubs and timber, always afford 
shelter from the boisterous winds of winter, and 
abundance of fuel and water. Facing the 
rising sun the hunter invariably erects his 
shanty, with a wall of precipitous rock in rear 
to defend it from the gusts which often sweep 
down the gorges of the mountains. Round the 
camp his animals, well hobbled at night, feed 
within sight, for nothing does a hunter dread 
more than a visit from the horse-stealing 
Indians; and to be "afoot" is the acme of his 
misery. 



CHAPTER XII 

Birds of Passage at Bent's Fort 

WHEN I returned to the Arkansa I 
found a small party were making prepar- 
ations to cross the grand prairie to the 
United States, intending to start on the 1st of 
May, before which time there would not be a 
sufficiency of grass to support the animals on 
the way. With these men I determined to travel, 
and in the mean time employed myself in 
hunting on the "Wet Mountain," and Fisher's 
Hole, a valley at the head of St. Charles, as 
well as up the Arkansa itself. I observed in 
these excursions that vegetation was in a much 
more forward state in the mountain valleys and 
the prairies contiguous to their bases than on 
the open plains, and that in the vicinity of 
the "pueblo" it was still more backward than 
in any other spot; on the 15th of April not a 
blade of green grass having as yet made its 
appearance round the fort. This was not from 
the effects of drought, for several refreshing 
showers had fallen since the disappearance of 
the snow; neither was there any apparent 

difference in the soil, which is a rich loam, and 
221 



222 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

in the river-bottom, an equally rich vegetable 
mould. At this time, when the young grass 
had not yet appeared here, it was several inches 
high on the mountains and upland prairies, 
and the cherry and currant bushes on the 
creeks were bursting into leaf. 

Amongst the wives of the mountaineers in 
the fort was one Mexican woman from the 
state of Durango, who had been carried off by 
the Comanches in one of their raids into that 
department. Remaining with them several 
years, she eventually accompanied a party of 
Kioways (allies of the Comanche) to Bent's 
Fort on the Arkansa, Here she was purchased 
from them and became the wife of Hawkens, 
who afterwards removed from Bent's and took 
up his abode at the **pueblo," and was my 
hospitable host while on the Arkansa. It 
appeared that her Mexican husband, by some 
means or another, heard that she had reached 
Bent's Fort, and, impelled by affection, under- 
took the long journey of upwards of fifteen 
hundred miles to recover his lost wife. In 
the meantime, however, she had borne her 
American husband a daughter, and when her 
first spouse claimed her as his own, and wished 
her to accompany him back to her own country, 
she only consented on condition that she might 
carry with her the child, from which she 
steadily refused to be separated. The father. 



BIRDS OF PASSAGE AT BENT'S FORT 223 

however, turned a deaf ear to this request, and 
eventually the poor Durangueno returned to 
his home alone, his spouse preferring to share 
the buffalo-rib and venison with her mountaineer 
before the frijole and chile Colorado of the 
bereaved ranchero. 

Three or four Taos women, and as many 
squaws of every nation, comprised the "female 
society'* on the Upper Arkansa, giving good 
promise of peopling the river with a sturdy 
race of half-breeds, if all the little dusky 
buffalo-fed urchins who played about the corral 
of the fort arrived scathless at maturity. 

Amongst the hunters on the Upper Arkansa 
were four Delaware Indians, the remnant of a 
band who had been trapping for several years 
in the mountains, and many of whom had been 
killed by hostile Indians, or in warfare with the 
Apaches while in the employ of the states of 
New Mexico and Chihuahua. Their names were 
Jim Dicky, Jim Swannick, Little Beaver, and 
Big Nigger. The last had married a squaw from 
the Taos pueblo, and, happening to be in New 
Mexico with his spouse at the time of the late 
rising against the Americans, he very naturally 
took part with the people by whom he had been 
adopted. 

In the attack on the Indian pueblo it was said 
that Big Nigger particularly distinguished 
himself, calling by name to several of the 



224 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

mountain-men who were amongst the attacking 
party, and inviting them to come near enough 
for him, the Big Nigger, to "throw them in 
their tracks." And this feat he affected more 
than once, to the cost of the assailants, for it was 
said that the Delaware killed nearly all who fell 
on the side of the Americans, his squaw loading 
his rifle and encouraging him in the fight. 

By some means or another he escaped after 
the capture of the pueblo, and made his way 
to the mountains on the Arkansa; but as it was 
reported that a price was put upon his head, he 
retired in company with the other Delawares 
to the mountains, where they all lay perdu for 
a time; and it was pretty well understood that 
any one feeling inclined to reap the reward by 
the capture of Big Nigger, would be under the 
necessity of "taking him," and with every 
probability of catching a Tartar at the same 
time, the three other Delawares having taken 
the delinquent under the protection of their 
rifles. Although companions of the American 
and Canadian hunters for many years, anything 
but an entente cordiale existed towards their 
white confreres on the part of the Delawares, 
who knew very well that anything in the shape 
of Indian blood is looked upon with distrust and 
contempt by the white hunters. 

Tharpe, an Indian trader, who had just 
returned from the Cheyenne village at the 



BIRDS OF PASSAGE AT BENT'S FORT 225 

"Big Timber" on the Arkansa, had purchased 
from some Kioways two prisoners, a Mexican 
and an American negro. The former had been 
carried off by the Comanches from Durango 
when about seven years old, had almost entirely 
forgotten his own tongue, and neither knew 
his own age nor what length of time he had been 
a captive amongst the Indians. The degraded 
and miserable existence led by this poor creature 
had almost obliterated all traces of humanity 
from his character and appearance. Probably 
not more than twenty-five years of age, he was 
already wrinkled and haggard in his face, 
which was that of a man of threescore years. 
Wrapped in a dirty blanket, with his long hair 
streaming over his shoulders, he skulked, like 
some savage animal, in holes and corners of 
the fort, seeming to shun his fellow-men, in a 
consciousness of his abject and degraded con- 
dition. At night he would be seen with his face 
close to the rough doors of the rooms, peering 
through the cracks, and envying the (to him) 
unusual luxury within. When he observed 
anyone approach the door, he instantly with- 
drew and concealed himself in the darkness 
until he passed. A present of tobacco, now and 
then, won for me the confidence of the poor 
fellow, and I gathered from him, in broken 
Spanish mixed with Indian, an account of his 
miseries. 



226 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

I sat with him one night on a log in the corral, 
as he strove to make me understand that once, 
long, long ago, he had been ^'muy rico — very 
rich"; that he lived in a house where was always 
a fire like that burning within, and where he 
used to sit on his mother's lap; and this fact 
he repeated over and over again, thinking that 
to show that once affectionate regard had been 
bestowed upon him, was to prove that he had 
been at one time an important personage. ^'Me 
quiso mucho, mucho," he said, speaking of his 
mother — "she loved me very, very much; and 
I had good clothes and plenty to eat; but that 
was many, many moons ago." 

^^Mire," he continued, "from this size," 
putting his hand out about three feet from the 
ground — "?zi padre, ni madre, ni amigos he 
tenido yo^^ — neither father, mother, nor friends 
have I had; "2?ero patadas, hastante — but 
plenty of kicks," y poca came — and very little 
meat." 

I asked him if he had no wish to return to his 
own country. His haggard face lighted up 
for an instant, as the dim memory of his child- 
hood's home returned to his callous mind. 
"^1/, Dios mior he exclaimed, '^si fuera posihle 
— ^Ah, my God, if it were possible!" "But no," 
he continued after a pause, ^'estoy akora muy 
brutOy y asi no me quadrara a ver mi madre — I 
am now no more than a brute, and in this 



BIRDS OF PASSAGE AT BENT'S FORT 227 

state would not like to see my mother. Y de 
mas — and moreover — my compadre,'* as he 
called the man who had purchased him, "is 
going to give me a shirt and a sombrero; what 
can I want more? Vaya, es mejor asi — it is 
better as it is." One night he accosted me in 
the corral in an unusual degree of excitement. 

^^Mire!" he exclaimed, seizing me by the arm, 
"look here! estoy boracho — I am drunk! Me dio 
mi compadre un pedazo de aguardiente — my 
godfather has given me a bit of brandy. Y 
estoy tan feliz, y ligero! como paxaro, como 
pa-x-ar-o^' — he hiccuped — "and I am as happy 
and as light as a bird. Me vuelo — I am flying. 
Me dicen que estoy boracho: ay que palabra 
bonital — they tell me I am drunk: drunk — • 
what a beautiful word is this! En mi vida, 
nunca he sentido como ahora — never in my life 
have I felt as I do now." And the poor wretch 
covered his head with a blanket, and laughed 
long and loud at the trick he had played his 
old friend misery. 

The negro, on the contrary, was a character- 
istic specimen of his race, always laughing, 
singing, and dancing, and cutting uncouth 
capers. He had been a slave in the semi- 
civilized Cherokee nation, and had been cap- 
tured by the Comanches, as he himself declared, 
but most probably had run away from his 
master, and joined them voluntarily. He was a 



228 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

musician, and of course could play the fiddle; 
and having discovered an old weather-beaten 
instrument in the fort, Lucy Neal, Old Dan 
Tucker, and Buffalo Gals, were heard at all 
hours of the day and night; and he was, more- 
over, installed into the Weippert of the fan- 
dangos which frequently took place in the fort, 
when the hunters with their squaws were at 
the rendezvous. 

Towards the latter end of April green grass 
began to show itself in the bottoms, and myself 
and two others, who had been wintering in the 
mountains for the benefit of their health, made 
preparations for our departure to the United 
States. Pack-saddles were inspected and re- 
paired, apishamores made, lariats and lassos 
greased and stretched, mules and horses collected 
from their feeding-grounds, and their fore feet 
shod. A small supply of meat was "made" 
(i. e. cut into thin flaps and dried in the sun), 
to last until we reached the buffalo-range; 
rifles put in order, and balls run; hobbles cut 
out of rawhide, jparfleche moccasins* cobbled up, 
deerskin hunting-shirts and pantaloons patched, 
and all our very primitive "kit" overhauled to 
render it serviceable for the journey across the 
grand prairies, while the "possible-sack" was 
lightened of all superfluities — an easy task by 
the way. When everything was ready I was 

* Moccasins soled with rawhide. (Ed.) 



BIRDS OF PASSAGE AT BENT'S FORT 229 

delayed several days in hunting up my animals. 
The Indian traders having arrived, bringing 
with them large herds of mules and horses, my 
mules had become separated from the horse and 
from one another, and it was with no small 
difficulty that I succeeded in finding and 
securing them. Having once tasted the green 
grass, they became so wild, that, at my appear- 
ance, lasso in hand, the cunning animals, 
knowing full well what was in store for them, 
threw up their heels and scampered away, 
defying for a long time all my efforts to catch 
them. 

My two companions had left the United 
States the preceding year, having been recom- 
mended to try the effect of change of climate on 
a severe pulmonary disease under which both 
labored. Indeed, they were both apparently 
in a rapid consumption, and their medical 
advisers had given up any hope of seeing them 
restored to health. They had remained in the 
mountains during one of the severest winters 
ever known, had lived upon game, and fre- 
quently suffered the privations attendant upon 
a mountain life, and now were returning per- 
fectly restored, and in robust health and spirits. 

It is an extraordinary fact that the air of the 
mountains has a wonderfully restorative effect 
upon constitutions enfeebled by pulmonary 
disease; and of my own knowledge I could 



230 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

mention a hundred instances where persons, 
whose cases have been pronounced by eminent 
practitioners as perfectly hopeless, have been 
restored to comparatively sound health by a 
sojourn in the pure and bracing air of the 
Rocky Mountains, and are now alive to testify 
to the effects of the revigorating climate. 

That the lungs are most powerfully acted 
upon by the rarified air of these elevated regions, 
I myself, in common with the acclimated 
hunters, who experience the same effects, can 
bear witness, as it is almost impossible to take 
violent exercise on foot, the lungs feeling as if 
they were bursting in the act of breathing, and 
consequently the hunters invariably follow game 
on horseback, although, from being inured to 
the climate, they might be supposed to experi- 
ence these symptoms in a lesser degree. 

Whatever may be urged against such a 
climate, the fact nevertheless remains, that the 
lungs are thus powerfully affected and that the 
violent action has a most beneficial effect upon 
these organs when in a highly diseased state. 

The elevation above the level of the sea, of 
the plains at the foot of the mountains, is about 
four thousand feet, while the mountain valley of 
the Bayou Salado must reach an elevation of at 
least eight or nine thousand, and Pike's Peak 
has been estimated to exceed twelve thousand.* 

* Elevation of Pike's Peak, 14, 108 feet. {Ed.) 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Heading for Home 

ON the 30th of April [1847], having the 
day before succeeded in collecting my 
truant mulada, I proceeded alone to the 
forks of the Arkansa and St. Charles, where I 
had observed, when hunting, that the grass 
was in better condition than near the pueblo, 
and here I remained two or three days, the 
animals faring well on the young grass, waiting 
for my two companions, who were to proceed 
with me across the grand prairies. As, however, 
the trail was infested by the Pawnees and 
Comanche, who had attacked every party 
which had attempted to cross from Santa Fe 
during the last six months, and carried off all 
their animals, it was deemed prudent to wait 
for the escort of Tharpe, the Indian trader, who 
was about to proceed to St. Louis with the 
peltries, the produce of his winter trade; and 
as he would be accompanied by a large escort 
of mountain-men, we resolved to remain and 
accompany his party for the security it afforded. 
The night I encamped on the St. Charles the 
rain poured down in torrents, accompanied by a 
231 



232 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

storm of thunder and lightning, and the next 
morning I was comfortably lying in a pool of 
water, having been exposed to the full force of 
the storm. This was, however, merely a break- 
ing in for a continuation of wet weather, which 
lasted fifteen days without intermission, and at 
short intervals followed us to the Missouri, 
during which time I had the pleasure of diurnal 
and nocturnal shower-baths, and was for thirty 
days undergoing a natural hydropathic course of 
wet clothes and blankets, my bed being the 
bare prairie, and nothing between me and the 
reservoir above but a single sarape. 

On the 2nd of May my two fellow-travellers 
arrived with the intelligence that Tharpe could 
not leave until a trading-party from the north 
fork of the Platte came in to Arkansa, and 
consequently we started the next day alone. I 
may here mention that Tharpe started two 
days after us, and was killed on Walnut Creek 
by the Pawnees, while hunting buffalo at a 
little distance from camp. He was scalped and 
horribly mutilated. 

The night before our departure the wolves 
ate up all the riatas by which our mules and 
horses were picketed; and in the morning all the 
animals had disappeared but one. We saw by 
the tracks that they had been stampeded; and, 
as a very suspicious moccasin-track was dis- 
covered near the river, we feared that the 



HEADING FOR HOME 233 

Arapahos had paid a visit to the mulada. One 
of my mules, however, was picketed very near 
the camp, and was safe; and, mounting her, I 
followed the track of the others across the river, 
and had the good fortune to find them all 
quietly feeding in the prairie, with the ropes 
eaten off to their very throats. This day we 
proceeded about twenty-five miles down the 
river, camping in the bottom in a tope of cotton- 
woods, the rain pouring upon us all night. 

The next day we still followed the stream, 
and encamped about four miles above Bent's 
Fort,* which we reached the next morning, 
and most opportunely, as a company of wagons 
belonging to the United States commissariat 
were at the very moment getting under way for 
the Missouri. They had brought out provisions 
for the troops forming the Santa Fe division of 
the army of invasion, and were now on their 
return, empty, to Fort Leavenworth, under the 
charge of Captain , of the Quartermaster- 
General's department, who at once gave us 
permission to join his company, which con- 
sisted of twenty wagons, and as many teamsters, 
well armed. A government train of wagons had 
been attacked, on their way to Santa Fe, the 
preceding winter, by the Pawnees, and the 
whole party — men, mules, and wagons — cap- 

* Bent's Fort was on the north bank of the Arkansas, 650 miles 
west of Fort Leavenworth. (Ed.) 



234 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

tured; the men, however, being allowed to 
continue their journey, without wagons or 
animals. They had likewise lately attacked a 
party under Kit Carson, the celebrated moun- 
taineer, who was carrying despatches from 
Colonel Fremont, in California, to the govern- 
ment of the United States, and in fact every 
party who had passed the plains; therefore, as a 
large number of loose stock was also to be 
carried in with the wagons, an attack was more 
than probable during the journey to the frontier. 

Bent's Fort is a square building of adobe, 
flanked by circular bastions loopholed for 
musketry, and entered by a large gateway 
leading into the corral or yard. Round this are 
the rooms inhabited by the people engaged in 
the Indian trade; but at this time the Messrs. 
Bent themselves were absent in Santa Fe, the 
eldest brother, as I have before mentioned, 
having been killed in Taos during the insurrec- 
tion of the Pueblo Indians. We here procured 
a small supply of dried buffalo-meat, which 
would suffice until we came to the buffalo-range, 
when sufficient meat might be procured to carry 
us into the States. 

We started about noon, proceeding the first 
day about ten miles, and camped at sundown 
opposite the mouth of the Purgatoire — the 
Pickatwaire of the mountaineers, and Las 
Animas of the New Mexicans — an affluent of 



HEADING FOR HOME 235 

the Arkansa, rising in the mountains in the 
vicinity of the Spanish Peaks. The timber on 
the Arkansa becomes scarcer as we proceed 
down the river, the cottonwood groves being 
scattered wide apart at some distance from 
each other; and the stream itself widens out 
into sandy shallows, dotted with small islands 
covered with brush. At this camp we were 
joined by six or seven of Fremont's men, who 
had accompanied Kit Carson from California; 
but, their animals * 'giving out" here, they had 
remained behind to recruit them. They were 
all fine, hardy-looking young fellows, with their 
faces browned by two years' constant exposure 
to the sun and wind, and were fine specimens 
of mountaineers. They were accompanied by a 
Californian Indian, a young centaur, who 
handled his lasso with a dexterity which threw 
all the Mexican exploits I had previously seen 
into the shade, and was the means of bereaving 
several cows of their calves when we were in the 
buffalo-range. 

Our next camping-place was the "Big 
Timber," a large grove of cottonwoods on the 
left bank of the river, and a favorite wintering- 
place of the Cheyennes. Their camp was now 
broken up, and the village had removed to the 
Platte for their summer hunt. The debris of 
their fires and lodges were plentifully scattered 
about, and some stray horses were running 



236 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

about the bottom. On the 5th and 6 th we 
moved leisurely down the river, camping at 
Sandy Creek, and in the "Salt Bottom," a 
large plain covered with salitrose efflorescences. 
Here we proceeded more cautiously, as we 
were now in the outskirt of the Pawnee and 
Comanche country. The wagons at night were 
drawn up into a square, and the mules enclosed 
after sunset within the corral. Mine, however, 
took their chance outside, being always picketed 
near my sleeping-place, which I invariably 
selected in the middle of a good patch of grass, 
in order that they might feed well during the 
night. A guard was also placed over the corral, 
and everyone slept with his rifle at his side. 

Near the Salt Bottom, but on the opposite 
side of the river, I this day saw seven bulls, 
the advance party of the innumerable bands 
of buffalo we shortly passed through. 

On the 7th, as I rode two or three miles in 
advance of the party, followed by my mules, I 
came upon fresh Indian sign, where a village 
had just passed, with their lodge-poles trailing 
on the ground; and presently, in a level bottom 
on the river, the white conical lodges of the 
village presented themselves a short distance 
on the right of the trail. I at once struck off and 
entered it, and was soon surrounded by the 
idlers of the place. It was a Cheyenne village; 
and the young men were out, an old chief 



HEADING FOR HOME 237 

informed me, after buffalo, and that they would 
return an hour before sunset, measuring the 
hour with his hand on the western horizon. 
He also pointed out a place a little below for 
the wagons to encamp, where he said was plenty 
of wood and grass. The lodges, about fifty 
in number, were all regularly planted in rows 
of ten; the chief's lodge being in the centre, 
and the skins of it being dyed a conspicuous 
red. Before the lodges of each of the principal 
chiefs and warriors was a stack of spears, from 
which hung his shield and arms; whilst the 
skins of the lodge itself were covered with 
devices and hieroglyphics, describing his war- 
like achievements. Before one was a painted 
pole supporting several smoke-dried scalps, 
which dangled in the wind, rattling against the 
pole like bags of peas. 

The language of signs is so perfectly under- 
stood in the western country, and the Indians 
themselves are such admirable pantomimists, 
that, after a little use, no difficulty whatever 
exists in carrying on a conversation by such a 
channel; and there are few mountain-men who 
are at a loss in thoroughly understanding and 
making themselves intelligible by signs alone, 
although they neither speak nor understand a 
word of the Indian tongue. 

The wagons shortly after coming up, we pro- 
ceeded to the spot indicated by the chief, which 



238 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

is a camping-place well known to the Santa Fe 
traders by the name of the Pretty Encampment. 
Here we were soon surrounded by men, women, 
and children from the village, who arrived in 
horse-loads of five or six mounted on the same 
animal, and, begging and stealing everything 
they could lay their hands upon, soon became a 
perfect nuisance. An hour before sundown the 
hunting party came in, their animals tottering 
under heavy loads of buffalo-meat. Twenty- 
one had gone out, and in the chase had killed 
twenty-one bulls, which were portioned out, 
half the animal to each lodge. During the night 
a huge Cottonwood, which had been thought- 
lessly set on fire, fell, a towering mass of flame, 
to the ground, and nearly into the midst of my 
animals, who, frightened by the thundering 
crash, and the showers of sparks and fire, broke 
their ropes and ran off. In the morning, how- 
ever, they returned to camp at daybreak, and 
allowed me to catch them without difficulty. 

The next night we encamped on a bare 
prairie without wood, having recourse to the 
bois de vaches, or buffalo-chips, which strewed 
the ground, to make a fire. This fuel was so 
wet, that nothing but a stifling smoke rewarded 
our attempts. During the day an invalid died 
in one of the wagons, in which upwards of 
twenty poor wretches were beiug conveyed, all 
suffering from most malignant scurvy. The 



HEADING FOR HOME 239 

first wagon which arrived in camp sent a man 
to dig a hole in the prairie; and on the wagon 
containing the dead man coming up, it stopped 
a minute to throw the body into the hole, where, 
lightly covered with earth, it was left, without a 
prayer, to the mercies of the wolves and birds 
of prey. 

Bent's Fort had been made a depot of pro- 
visions for the supply of the government trains 
passing the grand prairies on their way to New 
Mexico, and the wagons now returning were 
filled with sick men suffering from attacks of 
scurvy.* The want of fresh provisions and 
neglect of personal cleanliness, together with the 
effects of the rigorous climate, and the intemper- 
ate and indolent habits of the men, rendered 
them proper subjects for this horrible scourge. 
In Santa Fe, and wherever the volunteer 
troops were congregated, the disease made 
rapid progress, and proved fatal in an extra- 
ordinary number of cases. 

As I was riding with some of the Californians 
in advance of the train, a large white wolf 
limped out of the bottom, and, giving chase, 
we soon came up to the beast, which on our 
approach crouched to the ground and awaited 
its death-stroke with cowardly suUenness. It 
was miserably poor, with its bones almost 
protruding from the skin, and one of its fore 

* Called "Black Leg" in Missouri. 



240 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

legs had been broken, probably by a buffalo, 
and trailed along the ground as it ran snarling 
and chopping its jaws with its sharp teeth. 

On the 9th, as I rode along ahead, I perceived 
some dark objects in the prairie, which, re- 
fracted by the sun striking the sandy ground, 
appeared enormous masses, without form, 
moving slowly along. Riding towards them on 
my mule, I soon made them out to be buffalo, 
seventeen bulls, which were coming towards me. 
Jumping off the mule, I thrust the picket at 
the end of her lariat into the ground, and, 
advancing cautiously a few paces, as the prairie 
was entirely bare, and afforded not even the 
cover of a prairie-dog mound to approach under, 
I lay down on the ground to await their coming. 
As they drew near, the huge beasts, unconscious 
of danger, picked a bunch of grass here and 
there, sometimes kicking up the dust with their 
fore feet, and, moving at the slowest walk, 
seemed in no hurry to offer me a shot. Just 
however as they were within a hundred paces, 
and I was already squinting along the barrel of 
my rifle, a greenhorn from the wagons, who had 
caught a glimpse of the game, galloped head- 
long down the bluff, and before the wind. He 
was a quarter of a mile off when the leading bull, 
raising his head, snuffed the tainted air, and 
with tail erect scampered off with his com- 
panions, leaving me showering imprecations 



HEADING FOR HOME 241 

on the head of the "muff" who had spoiled my 
sport and supper. 

Whilst I was lying on the ground three 
wolves, which were following the buffalo, caught 
sight of me, and seemed instantly to divine my 
intentions, for they drew near, and, sitting 
within a few yards of me, anxiously gazed upon 
me and the approaching bulls, thinking, no 
doubt, that their perservering attendance upon 
them was now about to be rewarded. They 
were doubtless disgusted when, as soon as I 
perceived the bulls disappear, I turned my rifle 
upon one cur which sat licking his chops, and 
knocked him over, giving the others the benefit 
of the remaining barrel as they scampered away 
from their fallen comrade. I now rode on far 
ahead, determined not to be disturbed; and by 
the time the wagons came into camp I had 
already arrived there with the choice portions 
of two bulls which I killed near the river. We 
encamped on the 9th at Chouteau's Island, 
called after an Indian trader named Chouteau, 
who was here beleagured by the Pawnees for 
several weeks, but eventually made his escape 
in safety. Every mile we advanced the buffalo 
became more plentiful, and the camp was soon 
overflowing with fresh meat. 

The country was literally black with immense 
herds, and they were continually crossing and 
recrossing the trail during the day, giving us 



242 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

great trouble to prevent the loose animals from 
breaking away and following the bands. 

On the 12th a man was found dead in one of 
the wagons on arriving in camp, and was 
buried in the same unceremonious style as the 
other. 

In the evening I left the camp for a load of 
meat, and approached an immense herd of 
buffalo under cover of a prairie-dog town, much 
to the indignation of the villagers, who resented 
the intrusion with an incessant chattering. The 
buffalo passed right through the town, and at 
one time I am sure that I could have touched 
many with the end of my rifle, and thousands 
were passing almost over me; but, as I lay per- 
fectly still, they only looked at me from under 
their shaggy brows, and passed on. One huge 
bull, and the most ferocious-looking animal I 
ever encountered, came to a dead stop within a 
yard of my head, and steadily examined me 
with his glaring eyes, snorting loudly his 
ignorance of what the curious object could be 
which riveted his attention. Once he approached 
so close that I actually felt his breath on my 
face, and, smelling me, he retreated a pace or 
two, and dashed up the sand furiously with his 
feet, lashing his tail at the same time about his 
dun sides with the noise of a carter's whip, 
throwing down his ponderous head, and shaking 
his horns angrily at me. This old fellow was 



HEADING FOR HOME 243 

shedding his hair, and his sleek skin, now bare 
as one's hand in many parts, was here and there 
dotted with tufts of his long winter-coat. From 
the shoulder backwards the body was, with these 
exceptions, perfectly smooth, but his head, 
neck, and breast were covered with long 
shaggy hair, his glowing eyes being almost 
hidden in a matted mass, while his coal-black 
beard swept his knees. His whole appearance 
reminded me strongly of a lion, and the motion 
of the buffalo when running exactly resembles 
the canter of the king of beasts. At last my 
friend began to work himself up into such a 
fury that I began to feel rather uncomfortable 
at my position, and, as he backed himself and 
bent his head for a rush, I cocked my rifle, and 
rose partly from the ground to take a surer aim, 
when the cowardly old rascal, with a roar of 
affright, took to his heels, followed by the whole 
band; but as one sleek, well-conditioned bull 
passed me within half a dozen yards, I took a 
flying shot, and rolled him over and over in a 
cloud of dust, levelling to the ground, as he fell, 
a well-built dog-house. 

No animals in these western regions interested 
me so much as the prairie dogs. These lively 
little fellows select for the site of their towns a 
level piece of prairie with a sandy or gravelly 
soil, out of which they can excavate their 
dwellings with great facility. Being of a merry. 



244 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

sociable disposition, they, unlike the bear or 
wolf, choose to live in a large community, where 
laws exist for the public good, and there is less 
danger to be apprehended from the attacks of 
their numerous and crafty enemies. Their towns 
equal in extent and population the largest 
cities of Europe, some extending many miles in 
length, with considerable regularity in their 
streets, and the houses of a uniform style of 
architecture. Although their form of govern- 
ment may be styled republican, yet great 
respect is paid to their chief magistrate, who, 
generally a dog of large dimensions and imposing 
appearance, resides in a house conspicuous for 
size in the centre of the town, where he may 
always be seen on his housetop, regarding with 
dignified complacency the various occupations 
of the busy population — some industriously 
bearing to the granaries the winter supply of 
roots, others building or repairing their houses; 
while many, their work being over, sit chatting 
on their housetops, watching the gambols of 
the juveniles as they play around them. Their 
hospitality to strangers is unbounded. The owl, 
who on the bare prairie is unable to find a tree 
or rock in which to build her nest, is provided 
with a comfortable lodging, where she may in 
security rear her round-eyed progeny; and the 
rattlesnake, in spite of his bad character, is 
likewise entertained with similar hospitality 



HEADING FOR HOME 245 

although it is very doubtful if it is not some- 
times grossly abused; and many a childless dog 
may perhaps justly attribute his calamity to 
the partiality of the epicurean snake for the 
tender meat of the delicate prairie-pup. How- 
ever, it is certain that the snake is a constant 
guest; and, whether admitted into the domestic 
circle of the dog family, or living in separate 
apartments, or in copartnership with the owl, is 
an acknowledged member of the community at 
large. 

The prairie-dog (a species of marmot) is some- 
what longer than a guinea-pig, of a light brown 
or sandy color, and with a head resembling that 
of a young terrier pup. It is also furnished with 
a little stumpy tail, which, when its owner is 
excited, is in a perpetual jerk and flutter. 
Frequently, when hunting, I have amused my- 
self for hours in watching their frolicsome 
motions, lying concealed behind one of their 
conical houses. These are raised in the form of a 
cone, two or three feet above the ground, and at 
the apex is a hole, vertical to the depth of three 
feet, and then descending obliquely into the 
interior. Of course, on the first approach of such 
a monster as man, all the dogs which have been 
scattered over the town scamper to their holes 
as fast as their little legs will admit, and, con- 
cealing all but their heads and tails, bark 
lustily their displeasure at the intrusion. When 



246 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

they have sufficiently exhibited their daring, 
every dog dives into his burrow, but two or 
three who remain as sentinels, chattering in 
high dudgeon, until the enemy is within a few 
paces of them, when they take the usual 
somersault, and the town is silent and deserted. 
Lying perfectly still for several minutes, I 
could observe an old fellow raise his head 
cautiously above his hole, and reconnoitre; and 
if satisfied that the coast was clear, he would 
commence a short bark. This bark, by the way, 
from its resemblance to that of a dog, has 
given that name to this little animal, but it is 
more like that of a wooden toy-dog, which is 
made to bark by raising and depressing the 
bellows under the figure. When this warning 
has been given, others are soon seen to emerge 
from their houses, and, assured of their security, 
play and frisk about. 

After a longer delay, rattlesnakes issue from 
the holes, and coil themselves on the sunny side 
of the hillock, erecting their treacherous heads, 
and rattling an angry note of warning if, in his 
play, a thoughtless pup approaches too near; 
and, lastly, a sober owl appears, and, if the sun 
be low, hops through the town, picking up the 
lizards and chameleons which everywhere 
abound. At the first intimation of danger given 
by the sentinels, all the stragglers hasten to their 
holes, tumbling over owls and rattlesnakes, who 



HEADING FOR HOME 247 

hiss and rattle angrily at being disturbed. 
Everyone scrambles off to his own domicile, and 
if, in his hurry, he should mistake his dwelling, 
or rush for safety into any other than his own, 
he is quickly made sensible of his error, and, 
without ceremony, ejected. Then, every house 
occupied, commences such a volley of barking, 
and such a twinkling of little heads and tails, 
which alone appear above the holes, as to defy 
description. The lazy snakes, regardless of 
danger, remain coiled up, and only evince their 
consciousness by an occasional rattle; while the 
owls, in the hurry and confusion, betake them- 
selves, with sluggish wing to wherever a bush of 
sage or grease wood affords them temporary 
concealment. 

The prairie-dog leads a life of constant alarm, 
and numerous enemies are ever on the watch 
to surprise him. The hawk and the eagle, 
hovering high in air, watch their towns, and 
pounce suddenly upon them, never failing to 
carry off in their cruel talons some unhappy 
member of the community. The coyote, too, 
an hereditary foe, lurks behind a hillock, 
watching patiently for hours until an unlucky 
straggler approaches within reach of his mur- 
derous spring. In the winter, when the prairie- 
dog, snug in his subterranean abode, and with 
granaries well filled, never cares to expose his 
little nose to the icy blasts which sweep across 



248 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the plains, but, between eating and sleeping, 
passes merrily the long, frozen winter, he is 
often roused from his warm bed, and almost 
congealed with terror, by hearing the snorting 
yelp of the half -famished wolf, who, mad with 
hunger, assaults, with tooth and claw, the 
frost-bound roof of his house, and, with almost 
superlupine strength, hurls down the well- 
cemented walls, tears up the passages, plunges 
his cold nose into the very chambers, snorting 
into them with his earth-stuffed nose, in 
ravenous anxiety, and drives the poor little 
trembling inmate into the most remote corners, 
too often to be dragged forth, and unhesitat- 
ingly devoured. The rattlesnake, too, I fear, 
is not the welcome guest he reports himself to 
be; for often I have slain the wily serpent, with 
a belly too much protuberant to be either 
healthy or natural, and bearing, in its outline, 
a very strong resemblance to the figure of a 
prairie-dog. 

A few miles beyond a point on the river 
known as the Caches, and so called from the 
fact that a party of traders, having lost their 
animals, had here cached, or concealed, their 
packs, we passed a little log fort, built by the 
government employes, for the purpose of 
erecting here a forge to repair the commissariat 
wagons on their way to Santa Fe. We found 
the fort beleagured by the Pawnees, who killed 



HEADING FOR HOME 249 

every one who showed his nose outside the gate. 
They had carried off all their stock of mules and 
oxen, and in the vicinity had, two or three 
days before, attacked a company under an 
oflficer of the United States Engineers, running 
off with all the mules belonging to it. We were 
now, day after day, passing through countless 
herds of buffalo. I could scarcely form an esti- 
mate of the numbers within the range of sight at 
the same instant, but some idea may be formed 
of them by mentioning, that one day, passing 
along a ridge of upland prairie at least thirty 
miles in length, and from which a view extended 
about eight miles on each side of a slightly 
rolling plain, not a patch of grass ten yards 
square could be seen, so dense was the living 
mass that covered the country in every direction. 
On leaving the Caches, the trail, to avoid a 
bend in the Arkansa, strikes to the north-east 
over a tract of rolling prairie, intersected by 
many ravines, full of water at certain seasons, 
known as the Coon Creeks. On this route 
there is no other fuel than bois de vaches, and 
the camps are made on naked bluffs, exposed, 
without the slightest shelter, to the chilling 
winds that sweep continually over the bare 
plains. I scarcely remember to have suffered 
more from cold than in passing these abominable 
Coon Creeks. With hunting-shirt saturated 
with the rain, the icy blast penetrated to my 



250 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

very bones, and, night after night, lying on the 
wet ground and in wet clothes, after successive 
days of pouring rain I felt my very blood 
running cold in my veins, and as if I never 
could again imbibe heat sufficient to warm me 
thoroughly. 

One night, while standing guard round the 
camp, which was about two miles from the 
river, I heard an inexplicable noise, like distant 
thunder, but too continuous to proceed from 
that source, which gradually increased, and 
drew nearer to the camp. Placing my ear to 
the ground, I distinguished the roaring tramp 
of buffalo thundering on the plain; and as the 
moon for a moment burst from a cloud, I saw 
the prairie was covered by a dark mass, which 
undulated, in the uncertain light, like the waves 
of the sea. I at once became sensible of the 
imminent danger we were in; for when thousands 
and hundreds of thousands of these animals are 
pouring in a resistless torrent over the plains, 
it is almost impossible to change their course, 
particularly at night, the myriads in the rear 
pushing on those in front, who, spite of them- 
selves, continue on their course, trampling 
down all opposition to their advance. Even if 
we ourselves were not crushed by the mass of 
beasts, our animals would most certainly be 
borne away bodily with the herd, and irrecover- 
ably lost. 



HEADING FOR HOME 251 

I at once alarmed the camp, and all hands 
turned out, and, advancing towards the buffalo, 
which were coming straight upon us, by shouting 
and continued firing of guns we succeeded in 
turning them, the wind being, luckily, in our 
favor; and the main body branching in two, one 
division made off into the prairie, while the 
other crossed the river, where for hours we 
heard their splashing, sounding like the noise 
of a thousand cataracts. In the daytime even 
our cavallada was in continual danger, for im- 
mense bands of buffalo dashed repeatedly 
through the wagons, scarcely giving us time 
to secure the animals before they were upon us; 
and on one occasion, when I very foolishly 
dismounted from Panchito to fire at a band 
passing within a few yards, the horse, becoming 
alarmed, started off into the herd, and, followed 
by the mules, was soon lost to sight amongst 
the buffalo, and it was some time before I 
succeeded in recovering them. 

As might be inferred, such gigantic sporting 
soon degenerates into mere butchery. Indeed, 
setting aside the excitement of a chase on 
horseback, buffalo-hunting is too wholesale a 
business to afford much sport — that is, on the 
prairies; but in the mountains, where they are 
met with in small bands, and require no little 
trouble and expertness to find and kill, and 
where one may hunt for days without discover- 



252 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

ing more than one band of half a dozen, it is 
then an exciting and noble sport. 

There are two methods of hunting buffalo — 
one on horseback, by chasing them at full speed, 
and shooting when alongside; the other by 
"still hunting," that is, approaching, or stalking, 
by taking advantage of the wind and any cover 
the ground affords, and crawling to within 
distance of the feeding herd. The latter method 
exhibits in a higher degree the qualities of the 
hunter, the former those of the horseman. The 
buffalo's head is so thickly thatched with long 
shaggy hair that the animal is almost precluded 
from seeing an object directly in its front; and 
if the wind be against the hunter he can ap- 
proach, with a little caution, a buffalo feeding 
on a prairie as level and bare as a billiard-table. 
Their sense of smelling, however, is so acute, 
that it is impossible to get within shot when to 
windward, as, at the distance of nearly half a 
mile, the animal will be seen to snuff the tainted 
air, and quickly satisfy himself of the vicinity 
of danger. At any other than the season of 
gallantry, when the males are, like all other 
animals, disposed to be pugnacious, the buffalo is 
a quiet, harmless animal, and will never attack 
unless goaded to madness by wounds, or, if a cow, 
in sometimes defending its calf when pursued by 
a horseman; but even then it is seldom that they 
make any strong effort to protect their young. 



HEADING FOR HOME 253 

When gorged with water, after a long fast, 
they become so lethargic that they sometimes 
are too careless to run and avoid danger. One 
evening, just before camping, I was, as usual, in 
advance of the train, when I saw three bulls 
come out of the river and walk leisurely across 
the trail, stopping occasionally, and one, more 
indolent than the rest, lying down whenever the 
others halted. Being on my hunting-mule, I 
rode slowly after them, the lazy one stopping 
behind the others, and allowing me to ride 
within a dozen paces, when he would slowly 
follow the rest. Wishing to see how near I 
could get, I dismounted, and, rifle in hand, 
approached the bull, who at last stopped short, 
and never even looked round, so that I walked 
up to the animal and placed my hand on his 
quarter. Taking no notice of me, the huge 
beast lay down, and while on the ground I shot 
him dead. On butchering the carcass I found 
the stomach so greatly distended, that (it 
seemed) another pint would have burst it. In 
other respects the animal was perfectly healthy 
and in good condition. 

One of the greatest enemies to the bujffalo is 
the white wolf. These perservering brutes 
follow the herds from pasture to pasture, 
preying upon the bulls enfeebled by wounds, 
the cows when weak at the time of calving, and 
the young calves whenever they straggle from 



254 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

the mothers. In bands of twenty and thirty 
they attack a wounded bull, separate him from 
the herd, and worry the poor animal until, 
weak with loss of blood and the ceaseless 
assaults of his active foes, he falls hamstrung, a 
victim to their ravenous hunger. 

On one of the Coon Creeks I was witness to 
an attack of this kind by three wolves on a cow 
and calf, or rather on the latter alone, which 
by some accident had got separated from the 
herd. My attention was first called to the 
extraordinary motions of the cow (for I could 
neither see the calf nor the wolves on account 
of the high grass), which was running here and 
there, jumping high in air and bellowing lustily. 
On approaching the spot I saw that she was 
accompanied by a calf about a month old, and 
all the efforts of three wolves were directed to 
get between it and the cow, who, on her part, 
used all her generalship to prevent it. Whilst 
one executed a diversion in the shape of a false 
attack on the cow, the others ran at the calf, 
which sought shelter under the very belly of its 
mother. She, poor animal! regardless of the 
wounds inflicted on herself, sought only to face 
the more open attack; and the wolf in rear, 
taking advantage of this, made a bolder on- 
slaught, and fastened upon her hams, getting 
however for his pains such a well-delivered kick 
in his stomach as threw him a somersault in 



HEADING FOR HOME 255 

the air. The poor cow was getting the worst 
of it; and the calf would certainly have fallen 
a victim to the ravenous beasts, if I had not 
most opportunely come to the rescue; and, 
waiting until the battle rolled near the place of 
my concealment, I took advantage of a tem- 
porary pause in the combat, when two of the 
wolves were sitting in a line, with their tongues 
out and panting for breath, to level my rifle at 
them, knocking over one dead as a stone, and giv- 
ing the other a pill to be carried with him to the 
day of his death, which, if I am any judge of 
gun-shot wounds, would not be very distant. 
The third took the hint and scampered off, a 
ball from my second barrel whistling after him 
as he ran; and I had the satisfaction of seeing 
the cow cross the river with her calf, and join 
in safety the herd, which was feeding on the 
other side. 



CHAPTER XIV 

A Buffalo Landscape 

WE reached Pawnee Fork of the Arkansa 
without any novedad [accident], but 
found this creek so swollen with the 
rains that we feared we should experience no 
little trouble in crossing. We here met a train 
of wagons detained by the above cause on their 
way to Santa Fe, and we learned from them 
that a party of Mexican traders had been 
attacked by the Pawnees at this very spot a 
few days before, losing one hundred and fifty 
mules, one Indian having been killed in the 
fight, whose well-picked skeleton lay a few 
yards from our camp. Pawnee Fork being con- 
sidered the most dangerous spot on the trail, 
extraordinary precautions were taken in guard- 
ing against surprise, and the animals belonging 
to the train were safely corralled before sun- 
down, and a strong guard posted round them. 
Mine, however, were picketed as usual round 
my sleeping-place, which was on a bare prairie 
at some distance from the timber of the creek. 
Such a storm as poured upon our devoted 

heads that night I have seldom had the mis- 
256 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 257 

fortune to be exposed to. The rain, in buckets- 
ful, Niagara'd down as if a twenty -years' supply 
was being emptied from the heavens on that 
one night; vivid forked Hghtning, in con- 
tinuous flashes, ht up the flooded prairie with 
its glare; and the thunder, which on these 
plains is thunder indeed, kept up an incessant 
and mammoth cannonade. My frightened 
mules crept as near my bed as their lariats 
would allow them, and, with water streaming 
from every extremity, trembled with the chilling 
rain. 

In the early part of the night, when the storm 
was at its height, I was attracted to a fire at the 
edge of the encampment by the sound of a man's 
voice perpetrating a song. Drawing near, I 
found a fire, or rather a few embers and an 
extinguished log, over which cowered a man 
sitting cross-legged in Indian fashion, holding 
his attenuated hands over the expiring ashes. 
His features, pinched with the cold, and lank 
and thin with disease, wore a comically serious 
expression, as the lightning lit them up, the rain 
streaming off his nose and prominent chin, and 
his hunting-shirt hanging about him in a flabby 
and soaking embrace. He was quite alone, and 
sat watching a little pot, doubtless containing 
his supper, which refused to boil on the miser- 
able fire. Spite of such a situation, which 
could be termed anything but cheering, he, like 



258 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Mark Tapley, evidently thought that now was 
the very moment to be jolly, and was rapping 
out at the top of his voice a ditty, the chorus of 
which was, — and which he gave with peculiar 
emphasis, — 

"How happy am I! 
From care I'm free: 
Oh, why are not all 
Contented like me?" — 

not for an instant intending it as a satire upon 
himself, but singing away with perfect serious- 
ness, raising his voice at the third hue, ''Oh, 
why are not all," particularly at the " Oh," in a 
most serio-comical manner. During the night I 
occasionally shook the water out of my blanket, 
and raised my head to assure myself that the 
animals were safe, lying down to sleep again, 
perfectly satisfied that not even a Pawnee 
would face such a storm, even to steal horses. 
But I did that celebrated thieving nation gross 
injustice; for they, on that very night, carried off 
several mules belonging to the other train of 
wagons, notwithstanding that a strict guard was 
kept up all the night. 

The next day, as there was no probability of 
the creek subsiding, it was determined to cross 
the wagons at any risk; and they were accord- 
ingly, one after the other, let down the steep 
bank of the stream, and, several yokes of oxen 
(which had first been swum over) being attached 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 259 

were hauled bodily through the water, some 
swimming, and others, if heavily laden, diving 
across. I myself crossed on Panchito, whose 
natatory attempt, probably his first, was any- 
thing but first-rate; for on plunging in, and at 
once, into deep water, instead of settling him- 
self down to a quiet swim, he jumped up into 
the air, and, sinking to the bottom, and thus 
gaining a fresh impetus, away he went again, 
carrying me, rifle, and ammunition under water 
at every plunge, as I held on by his neck like 
grim death. All my kit was contained in a pair 
of mule-packs, which I had had made of water- 
proof material. Unfortunately one had a hole 
in the top, which had escaped my notice. This 
admitted the water, which remained in the pack, 
several inches deep, for a fortnight. This pack 
contained all my papers, notes, and several 
manuscripts and documents relative to the 
history of New Mexico and its Indian tribes, 
which I had collected with considerable trouble 
and expense. On opening the trunk, I found 
all the papers completely destroyed, and the 
old manuscripts, written on bad paper, and with 
worse ink, reduced to a pulpy mass; every scrap 
of writing being perfectly illegible. 

At length all the wagons were got safely over, 
with the exception of having everything well 
soaked; and as the process had occupied the 
whole day, we camped on the other side of the 



260 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

creek. Every day we found greater difficulty in 
procuring fuel; for, as we were now on the 
regular Santa Fe trail, the creeks had been almost 
entirely stripped of firewood, and it was the 
work of hours to collect a sufficiency of brush 
to make a small fire to boil a pot of water. On 
arriving at camp, and having unpacked the 
mules, the first thing was to sally forth in quest 
of wood; an expedition of no little danger, for 
it was always more than probable that Indians 
were lurking in the neighborhood, and therefore 
the rifle always accompanied the fuel-hunter. 
Between Pawnee Fork and Cow Creek all our 
former experiences of buffalo-seeing were thrown 
into the shade, for here they literally formed 
the whole scenery, and nothing but dense masses 
of these animals was to be seen in every direc- 
tion, covering valley and bluff, and actually 
blocking up the trail. Nothing was heard along 
the line of march but pop — bang — pop — bang 
every minute; and the Calif ornian Indian 
lassoed the calves and brought them in in such 
numbers, that many were again set free. I had 
hitherto refrained from "chasing," in order to 
save my poor horse; but this day, a fine band 
of cows crossing the trail on a splendid piece of 
level prairie, I determined to try Panchito's 
mettle. Cantering up to the herd, I singled out 
a wiry-looking cow (which sex is the fleetest), 
and, dashing at her, soon succeeded in separat- 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 261 

ing her from the rest. As I steered Panchito 
right into the midst of a thousand of these 
animals, he became half mad with terror, 
plunging and snorting and kicking right and 
left; but he soon became tamer and more 
reconciled when the chase was a trial of speed 
between him and the flying cow, and he then 
was as much excited as his rider. The cow held 
her ground wonderfully well, and for a quarter 
of a mile kept us a couple of lengths astern, 
which distance my horse seemed hardly to wish 
to decrease. As he became warm, however, I 
pushed him up to her just as she entered a large 
band, where she doubtless thought to have found 
refuge; but, running through it, she again made 
for the open prairie and here, after a burst of a 
few hundred yards, I again came up with her; 
but Panchito refused to lay me alongside, 
darting wildly on one side if I attempted to pass 
the animal. At last, pushing him with spur and 
leg, I brought him to the top of his speed, and, 
shooting past the flying cow in his stride, and 
with too much headway on him to swerve, I 
brushed the ribs of the buffalo with my moccasin, 
and, edging off a little to avoid her horns, dis- 
charged my rifle into her side, behind the shoul- 
der. Carried forward a few paces in her on- 
ward course, she fell headlong to the ground, 
burying her horns deep into the soil, and, 
turning over on her side, was dead. She was 



262 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

SO poor that I contented myself with the 
tongue, leaving the remainder of the carcass 
to the wolves and ravens. 

We continued to find the buffalo in similar 
abundance as far as Cow Creek; a little beyond 
which we saw the last band; and on Turkey 
Creek the last straggler, an old grizzly bull, 
which I killed for a last supply of meat. 

After passing the Little Arkansa, the prairie 
began to change its character; the surface 
became more broken, the streams more fre- 
quent, and fringed with better timber, and of a 
greater variety; the eternal cotton wood now 
giving place to aspen, walnut, and hickory, and 
the short curly buffalo-grass to a more luxuriant 
growth of a coarser quality, interspersed with 
numerous plants and gay flowers. The dog- 
towns, too, disappeared; and, in lieu of these 
little animals, the prairie-hen boomed at rise 
and set of sun, and, running through the high 
grass, furnished ample work for the rifle. Large 
game was becoming scarcer; and but few ante- 
lope were now to be seen, and still fewer deer. 

No scenery in nature is more dreary and 
monotonous than the aspect of the "grand 
prairies" through which we had been passing. 
Nothing meets the eye but a vast undulating 
expanse of arid waste; for the buffalo-grass, 
although excellent in quality, never grows 
higher than two or three inches, and is seldom 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 263 

green in color; and, being but thinly planted, 
the prairie never looks green and turf -like. Not 
a tree or shrub is to be seen, except on the creeks, 
where a narrow strip of unpicturesque cotton- 
wood only occasionally relieves the eye with its 
verdant foliage. The sky, too, is generally over- 
cast, and storms sweep incessantly over the 
bare plains during all seasons of the year; 
boisterous winds prevailing at all times, carrying 
with them a chilling sleet or clouds of driving 
snow. It was therefore a great relief to look 
upon the long green waving grass, and the 
pretty groves on the streams; although our 
animals soon exhibited the consequences of the 
change of diet, between the rich and fattening 
buffalo-grass, and the rank, although more 
luxuriant, herbage they now fed upon. 

On approaching Council Grove the scenery 
became very picturesque; the prairie lost its 
flat and monotonous character, and was broken 
into hills and valleys, with well-timbered knolls 
scattered here and there, intersected by clear 
and babbling streams, and covered with gaudy 
flowers, whose bright colors contrasted with 
the vivid green of the luxuriant grass. My 
eye, so long accustomed to the burnt and 
withered vegetation of the mountains, revelled 
in this refreshing scenery, and never tired of 
gazing upon the novel view. Council Grove 
is one of the most beautiful spots in the western 



264 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

country. A clear rapid stream runs through 
the valley, bordered by a broad belt of timber, 
which embraces all the varieties of forest-trees 
common to the west. Oak, beech, elm, maple, 
hickory, ash, walnut, &c., here presented 
themselves like old friends; squirrels jumped 
from branch to branch, the hum of the honey- 
bee sounded sweet and homelike, the well- 
known chatter of the blue jay and catbird re- 
sounded through the grove; and in the evening 
the whip-poor-will serenaded us with its familiar 
tongue, and the drumming of the ruffed grouse 
boomed through the grove. The delight of the 
teamsters on first hearing these well-known 
sounds knew no bounds whatever. They 
danced, and sang, and hurrahed, as, one after 
the other, some familiar note caught their ear. 
Poor fellows! they had been suffering a severe 
time of it, and many hardships and privations, 
and doubtless snuffed in the air the johnny- 
cakes and hominy of their Missouri homes. 

"Wagh!" exclaimed one raw-boned young 
giant, as a bee flew past; "this feels like the old 
'ooman, and mush and molasses at that! If it 
don't, I'll be dog-gone!" 

"Hurroo for old Missouri!" roared another; 
"h'yar's a hoss as will knock the hind sights off 
the corn-doin's. Darn my old heart if thar 
arn't a reg'lar-built hickory — makes my eyes 
sweat to look at it! This child will have no 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 265 

more 'mountains;' hurroo for old Missouri! 
Wagh!" 

A trader amongst the Caw Indians had 
erected himself a log house at the grove, which 
appeared to us a magnificent palace. Himself, 
his cows and horses, looked so fat and sleek, that 
we really thought them unnaturally so; and so 
long had I been used to see the rawboned ani- 
mals of Mexico and the mountains, that I 
gravely asked him what he gave them, and why 
he made them so unwieldy. When he told me 
that his stock were all very poor, and nothing 
to what they were when they left the States a 
month before, I thought the man was taking a 
"rise" out of me; and when I showed him my 
travel-worn animals, and bragged of their, to 
me, plump condition, he told me that where he 
came from it would be thought cruel to work 
such starved-looking beasts. There was one 
lodge of Caw Indians at the grove, the big 
village being out on the prairie, hunting buffalo. 
On the opposite side of the stream was a party 
of Americans from Louisiana, who had been 
out for the purpose of catching calves; and 
round their camp some thirty were feeding, all 
they had been able to keep alive out of upwards 
of a hundred. 

From Council Grove to Caw, or Kansas, 
River, the country increases in beauty, and 
presents many most admirable spots for a 



266 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

settlement; but as it is guaranteed by treaty 
to the Caw and Osage Indians, no white man 
is allowed by the United States government to 
settle on their lands. 

The night before reaching Caw River we 
encamped on a bare prairie, through which 
ran a small creek, fringed with timber. At sun- 
down the wind, which had blown smartly the 
whole day, suddenly fell, and one of those 
unnatural calms succeeded, which so surely 
herald a storm in these regions. The sky 
became overcast with heavy inky clouds, and 
an intolerably sultry and oppressive heat per- 
vaded the atmosphere. Myriads of fire-flies 
darted about, and legions of bugs and beetles, 
and invading hosts of sandflies and mosquitos 
droned and hummed in the air, swooping like 
charging Cossacks on my unfortunate body. 
Beetles and bugs of easy squeezabihty, brob- 
dignag proportions, and intolerable odor, darted 
into my mouth as I gasped for breath; while 
sandflies with their atomic stings probed my 
nose and ears, and mosquitoes thrust their 
poisoned lances into every part of my body. 

Hoping for the coming storm, I lay without 
covering, exposed to all their attacks; but the 
agony of this merciless persecution was nothing 
to the thrill of horror which pervaded my very 
bones when a cold clammy rattlesnake crawled 
over my naked ankles; a flash of lightning at 



A BUFFALO LANDSCAPE 267 

the moment revealing to me the reptile, as with 
raised head it dragged its scaly belly across my 
skin, during which time, to me an age, I feared 
to draw breath lest the snake should strike me. 
Presently the storm broke upon us; a hurricane 
of wind squalled over the prairie, a flash of vivid 
lightning, followed by a clap of deafening 
thunder, and then down came the rain in tor- 
rents. I actually revelled in the shower-bath; 
for away on the instant were washed bugs and 
beetles; mosquitos were drowned in millions; 
and the rattlesnakes I knew would now retire 
to their holes, and leave me in peace and quiet 
for the remainder of the night. 

We now passed through a fine country, 
partially cultivated by the Caw Indians, whose 
log shanties were seen scattered amongst the 
timbered knolls. Caw River itself is the head- 
quarters of the nation, and we halted that night 
in the village, where, in the house of a white 
farmer, I ate the first civilized meal I had 
tasted for many months, and enjoyed the 
unusual luxury of eating at a table with knife 
and fork; moreover sitting on a chair, which 
however I would gladly have dispensed with, 
for I had so long been accustomed to sit Indian 
fashion on the ground that a chair was at 
first both unpleasant and awkward. The meal 
consisted of hot cakes and honey, delicious 
butter, and lettuce and radishes. My animals 



268 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

fared well too, on Indian corn, and oats in the 
straw; and the whole expense, eleven horses and 
mules having been fed the better part of a day 
and one night, amounted to one dollar and a 
half, or six shillings sterling. 

A troop of dragoons from St. Louis to Fort 
Leavenworth met us on the road on their way 
to the latter station, from whence they were 
about to escort a train of wagons, containing 
specie, to Santa Fe. They were superbly 
mounted: the horses, uniting plenty of blood 
with bone, so great a desideratum for cavalry, 
were about fifteen hands high, and in excellent 
condition. The dragoons themselves were all 
recruits, and soldierlike neither in dress nor 
appearance. 



CHAPTER XV 

At the End of the Trail 

WE passed the Kansas or Caw River by a 
ferry worked by Indians, and, striking 
into a most picturesque country of hill 
and dale, well timbered and watered, entered 
the valley of the great Missouri. A short dis- 
tance from the river, on the left of the trail, is a 
tabular bluff of most extraordinary formation, 
being the exact and accurately outlined figure 
of a large fortification, with escarpments, 
counterscarps, glacis, and all details, perfectly 
delineated. 

A little farther on we came in sight of the 
garrison of Fort Leavenworth, the most western 
military station of the United States, and 
situated on the right bank of the Missouri in 
the Indian territory. The fort is built on an 
eminence overhanging the river, but, although 
called a fort, has no pretensions to be a military 
work, the only defence to the garrison being 
four wooden block-houses, loopholed for mus- 
ketry, placed at each corner of the square of 
buildings. The barracks, stables, and oflScers' 

quarters surrounded this square, which is 
269 



270 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

planted with trees and covered with luxuriant 
grass. The accommodation for the men and 
officers is excellent; the houses of the latter 
being large and commodious, and quite unlike 
the dirty pigsties which are thought good 
enough for the accommodation of British 
officers. The soldiers' barrack-rooms are large 
and airy, but no attention appears to be paid 
to cleanliness, and the floors, walls, and windows 
were dirty in the extreme. The beds are all 
double, or rather the bedsteads, for the bedding 
is separate, but in close contact. What struck 
me more than anything was the admirable 
condition of the horses, and their serviceable 
appearance: I did not see a single troop-horse 
in the squadron which would not have sold in 
England for eighty guineas; the price paid for 
them here, that is, the government contract 
price, being from fifty to eighty dollars, or from 
ten to sixteen pounds. 

The garrison constitutes the whole population 
of the place. With the exception of the sutler's 
store for the use of the soldiers, there are neither 
shops, taverns, nor private buildings of any 
description; and I should have fared but badly 
if it had not been for the hospitality of Captain 
Enos, of the quartermaster-general's depart- 
ment, who most kindly assigned to me a room 
in his own quarters in the garrison, and made me 
a member of his mess. 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 271 

The officers of the dragoons, who may be 
said to be buried for Hfe in this wilderness, are 
mostly married, and their families constitute 
the only society the place affords. I remember 
to have been not a little struck at the first 
sight of many very pretty well-dressed ladies, 
who, after my long sojourn amongst the dusky 
squaws, appeared to me like the houris of 
paradise; and I have no doubt that I myself 
came in for a share of staring, for I was dressed 
in complete mountain costume, with my mahog- 
any-colored face shaded by a crimson turban 
a la Indien, and in all the pride of fringed 
deerskin and porcupine-quills; and I was paid 
the compliment of being more than once mis- 
taken for an Indian chief; and on one occasion 
I was appealed to by two of the dragoons to 
decide a bet as to whether I was a white man or 
a redskin. One day I was passing through the 
dragoons' stables when the men were cleaning 
their horses, and my appearance created no 
little difference of opinion amongst the troopers 
as to what tribe of Indians I belonged to. 

* 'That's a Potto watomie," said one, "by his 
red turban." 

*'How long have you been in the west," 
cried another, "not to know a Kickapoo when 
you see him?" 

"Pshaw!" exclaimed a third; "that's a white 



272 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

trapper from the mountains. A regular moun- 
tain-boy that, I'll bet a dollar !" 

One smart-looking dragoon, however, looked 
into my face, and, turning round to his com- 
rades, said, "Well, boys, I'll just bet you a 
dollar all round that that Injun's no other than a 
British officer. Wagh! And what's more, I can 
tell you his name." — ^And, sure enough, my 
acquaintance proved to be one of the many 
deserters from the British army belonging to 
the dragoons, and one who had known me when 
in the service myself. 

After a few day's stay at Fort Leavenworth, 
I made preparations for my departure to St. 
Louis, getting rid of my mountain-traps, and, 
what caused me no little sorrow, parting with 
my faithful animals, who had been my com- 
panions in a long and wearisome journey of 
more than three thousand miles, during the 
greater part of which they had been almost my 
only friends and companions. I had, however, 
the satisfaction of knowing that whilst with me 
they had never experienced a blow or an angry 
word from me, and had always fared of the very 
best — when procurable; and many a mile I had 
trudged on foot to save them the labor of carry- 
ing me. For Panchito I found a kind master — 
exacting, in return for the present, a promise 
that he should not be worked for the next three 
months; and, before leaving, I had the satisfac- 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 273 

tion of knowing that, in company with three old 
acquaintances who had pastured with him in the 
mountains, he was enjoying himself in veritable 
"clover," and corn unlimited, where, I doubt 
not, he soon regained his quondam beauty and 
condition. 

The disposal of the mules gave me greater 
anxiety, as there was such a demand for these 
animals at the moment to send with the govern- 
ment trains to New Mexico, that I knew to 
give them away would only be to put their 
value in the pocket of a stranger, and the 
animals themselves into the first wagon which 
crossed the plains. I therefore sold them to 
the commissary at the fort, and paid them daily 
visits in the government stables, where they 
revelled in the good things of this life, and had, 
moreover, a kind-hearted master in the shape 
of the Missourian teamster who had the charge 
of them, and who, on my giving him a history 
of their adventures, and a good and true account 
of their dispositions and qualities, promised to 
take every care of the poor beasts; and, indeed, 
was quite proud of having under his charge 
such a travelled team. The parting between 
Panchito and the mules was heartrending, and 
for two or three days they all refused to eat and 
be comforted; but at the end of that time their 
violent grief softened down into a chastened 
melancholy, which gradually merged into a 



274 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

steady appetite for the "corn-doin's" of the 
liberal master of the mules; and before leaving 
I felt assured, from their sleek and well-filled 
appearance, that they were quite able to start 
on another expedition across the plains. 

A steamboat touching at the fort, bound for 
the Mississippi and St. Louis, I availed myself 
of the opportunity, and secured myself a berth 
for the latter city. After running upon sand- 
bars every half-hour, about thirty miles below 
Independence we at last stuck hard and fast, 
and, spite of the panting efforts of the engine, 
there we remained during the night, and until 
noon the next day. A steamboat then made 
its appearance, bound, like ourselves, down the 
river, and, coming up alongside, the two cap- 
tains held a consultation, which ended in our^s 
recommending his passengers to "make tracks" 
into the other boat, as he did not expect to get 
off; which interchange being effected, and our 
fares paid to the other boat, a hawser was 
attached to the one aground, and she was 
readily hauled off — we, the passengers, having 
been done pretty considerably brown in the 
transaction. However, such rascalities as these, 
on the western waters, are considered no more 
than "smart," and are taken quite as a matter 
of course by the free and enlightened citizens 
of the model republic. 

I must say that since a former visit to the 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 275 

States, made three years ago, I perceived a 
decided improvement, thanks to the Trollope 
and Boz castigations, in the manners and con- 
duct of steamboat travellers, and in the accom- 
modations of the boats themselves. With the 
exception of the expectorating nuisance, which 
still flourishes in all its disgusting "mon- 
strosity," a stranger's sense of decency and 
decorum is not more shocked than it would be 
in travelling down the Thames in a Gravesend 
or Heme Bay steamer. There is even quite an 
arbitrary censorship established on the subject 
of dress and dirty linen, which is, since it is 
passively submitted to by the citizens, an 
unmistakable sign of the times. As a proof 
of this, one evening, as I sat outside the cabin, 
reading, a young man, slightly "corned," or 
overtaken in his drink, accosted me abruptly : — 

"Stranger, you haven't ary clean shirt to 
part with, have you? The darned [hiccup] 
capen says I must go ashore bekase my 'tarnal 
shirt ain't clean." 

And this I found to be the fact, for the man 
was actually ejected from the saloon at dinner- 
time, on his attempting to take his seat at the 
table in a shirt which bore the stains of julep 
and cocktail. 

The miserable scenery of the muddy Missouri 
has been too often described to require any 
additional remarks. The steamboat touched 



276 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

occasionally at a wood-pile, to take in fuel; 
and sallow, aguish faces peered from the log 
shanties as we passed. We had the usual 
amount of groundings on sand-bars, and 
thumping against snags and sawyers; passed the 
muddy line of demarcation between the waters 
of the Missouri and the "Father of Streams," 
and, in due course, on the fourth day ran along- 
side the outer edge of three tiers of huge steam- 
boats which lined the wharf at St. Louis. 

We had but one exciting episode during the 
voyage, in the shape of a combat between one 
of the *'hands" of the boat (a diabolical- 
looking Mexican) and the mate. The latter, 
at a wooding station, thinking that the man 
was not sufficiently "spry," administered a 
palthogue, which not meeting the approbation 
of the Mejicano, that worthy immediately 
drew his knife and challenged the aggressor. 
The mate, seizing a log from the pile, advanced 
towards him, and the Mexican, likewise, drop- 
ping his knife, took up a similar weapon, and 
rushed to the attack. After a return of blows 
they came to close quarters, hugged, and fell, 
the Yankee uppermost, whose every energy 
was now directed to gouge out the eye of his 
prostrate foe, while he on his part, seizing the 
eye-scooper by his long hair, tugged, with 
might and main, to pull him to the ground. 
With a commendable spirit of fair play, the 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 277 

other "hands" danced round the combatants, 
administering well-directed kicks on the un- 
fortunate Mexican's head and body, in all the 
excitement of unrestrainable valor. The cap- 
tain, however, interfered, and secured a fair 
field for the gallant pair; but at length, 
tired of the bungling attempts of his mate 
to screw his antagonist's eye out of its socket, 
pulled him oflF, and, giving the Mexican a 
friendly kick in the ribs, desired him to get 
up. That worthy rose undismayed, and, 
ramming the end of his thumb into his eye, to 
drive that organ into its proper place, exclaimed, 
"Que carajo es este, qui no sahe pelearl — what a 
cur is this, who does not know how to fight!" 
and, shaking himself, sat upon a log, and pro- 
ceeded coolly to make himself a shuck-cigar. 

A negro came up to me at Fort Leavenworth, 
and asked me to allow him to accompany me 
down to St. Louis. On my saying that I did 
not require a servant for so short a distance, he 
told me that, although himself a free negro, yet 
no black was allowed to travel without a 
master, and that if he attempted it he would, 
in all probability, be seized and imprisoned as a 
runaway slave. 

This reminded me that I was in that tran- 
scendently free country, ever boasting of its 
liberty and equality, which possesses, in a 
population of some eighteen millions, upwards 



278 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

of three millions of fellow-men in most abject 
yet lawful slavery; — a foul blot upon humanity, 
which has every appearance of being perpetu- 
ated until the evil grows to such a height as 
will end in curing itself. 

This subject, which necessarily forces itself 
upon the mind of all travellers in the Slave 
States, is one which, having received the atten- 
tion of the most enlightened philanthropists of 
both hemispheres, it would scarcely become me 
to dilate upon, or even notice, did I not feel 
that every one, however humble, should raise 
his voice in condemnation of that disgraceful 
and inhuman INSTITUTION, which, in a civilized 
country and an enlightened age, condemns to a 
social death, and degrades (by law) to the level 
of the beasts of the field, our fellow-men; 
subjecting them to a moral as well as physical 
slavery, and removing from them every possible 
advantage of intellectual culture or education, 
by which they might attain any position a 
grade higher than they now possess — the human 
beasts of burden of inhuman masters. 

It is adduced as an argument against the 
abolition of slavery — of course by those whose 
interest it is to uphold the evil — that the 
emancipation of the slaves would, in the present 
state of feeling against the negro race, be pro- 
ductive of effects which would convulse the 
whole social state of the country, or, in other 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 279 

words, that the whites would never rest until 
the whole race was exterminated in the United 
States. That there is a physical impossibility 
to any amalgamation in the southern States is 
as certain as that, year by year, the difficulty 
of removing the evil is surely increasing; and 
its very magnitude and the moral cowardice 
of the American people prevent this evil being 
grappled with at once, and some steps taken to 
oppose its perpetuation. 

The three arguments brought forward by 
those who endeavor to palliate or uphold 
slavery, in feeble sophistry, plainly exhibit 
the weakness of the cause. First, they say. 
We admit the evil, but the cure will be worse 
than the disease. We have inherited it: the 
blame rests not upon us, but our fathers. If 
the negroes are emancipated, what is to become 
of them? They cannot, and shall not, remain in 
our community, on an equality with us and 
our children, and enjoying the privileges of 
white men. This cannot be. Moreover, the 
burden of supporting them will fall upon us, 
for they will not work unless compelled. 

Secondly: We deny the sinfulness of the in- 
stitution. Negroes are not men, but were sent 
into the world to be slaves to the white man. 
To support this they are ready with quotations 
from Scripture, and I blush to say that I have 
heard well-educated and liberal-minded men 



280 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

take no other ground than this to support the 
cause. 

And, thirdly, they say no legislation can 
reach the evil. Law cannot deprive a citizen 
of his property: if so, away with liberty at once, 
if one act confirms rights and another removes 
them. 

The abolitionist of the North raves at the 
slave-owner of the South; but let a foreigner 
converse with the former, and he will at once 
turn round and take the part of the slave- 
owner. It is like a third person interfering in 
quarrels of man and wife. "No, no, my good 
sir,'* they say, "let us settle this question 
amongst ourselves; this is a family affair." No 
one could deny the justice of this, if they really 
made a bona fide attempt to grapple the evil; 
but I must confess that abolitionism in the 
United States appears to me to be anything 
but genuine and honest, and that, if left to 
themselves, the question is very, very far from 
any chance of settlement, unless, as I believe 
will be the result, the slaves themselves cut the 
Gordian knot. 

The great difficulty to be combated in Amer- 
ica, in freeing the country from the curse of 
slavery, is prejudice. The negro is not recog- 
nized (startling as this assertion may be) as a 
fellow-creature — ^I mean by the mass of the 
people. This anomaly, in a country where the 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 281 

very first principle of their social organism is 
the axiom, the incontrovertible truth, that "all 
men are born equal," is the more palpable, since 
the popular and universal outcry is, and ever 
has been, the same sentiment which animated 
the Fathers of the Revolution, when they 
offered to the world, as a palliation for the crime 
of rebellion, the same watchword which is now 
so prodigally used by every American tongue, 
and so basely and universally prostituted. 
"All men are born equal. Liberty, therefore, 
and equal rights to all" — except to those whose 
skins are black! 

I have heard clergymen of the American 
church affirm their belief that the negro was 
placed on earth by God to be the white man's 
slave. I have heard many educated, and in 
every other respect moral and conscientious, 
Americans assert that negroes were not made 
in God's image, but were created as a link 
between man and the beast, to minister to the 
former's wants, and to support him by the toil 
of their hands and the sweat of their brows. 

And when I add that by law it is felony to 
teach a negro to read or write, what argument 
can be offered to combat such unnatural preju- 
dices? I believe that slaves are generally well 
treated in the United States, although many 
instances could be adduced where the very 
reverse is the fact, particularly on the western 



282 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

frontier. But this good treatment is on the 
same grounds that we take care of our horjses 
and cows and pigs, because it is the owner's 
interest to do so; and the well-being — that is, 
the physical healthiness — of slaves is attended 
to in the same degree that we feed and clothe 
our horses, in order that they may be in con- 
dition to work for us, and thereby bring in a 
return for the care we have bestowed upon 
them. 

That this question will one day shake to its 
very centre, if it does not completely annihilate, 
the union of the American States, is as palpable 
as the result is certain. This belief is very 
generally entertained by both parties, and yet 
in spite of it the evil is allowed to increase, 
although its removal or cure thereby becomes 
hourly more difficult. 

Hundreds of plans have been suggested for 
the abolition of slavery, but all have been found 
to be impracticable, if not impossible to be 
carried out. Perhaps the most feasible and 
practicable was that proposed by the late Mr. 
King many years ago, and which at the time 
met with the fate of every other suggestion on 
the same subject. Mr. King, as sound and 
practical a statesman as the country ever 
produced, proposed that a certain yearly sum 
should be laid aside out of the revenue derived 
from the sale of the public lands, to be devoted 



AT THE END OF THE TRAIL 283 

to the emancipation of slaves by the purchase 
of their freedom. This process, however slow, 
at the same time that it would effect the gradual 
abolition of slavery, and at all events effectually 
prevent its increase and perpetuation, and offer 
a final, although distant termination to the 
evil, was at the same time less calculated to 
alarm the interested minds of the slave-owners; 
since, as the emancipation would be gradual, 
and the compensation proportional to the loss 
sustained, their interests were not so materially 
affected as they would be by the entire removal, 
at one swoop, of their vested rights of property 
and possession. As it is, however, there is no 
evidence of any positive action being taken by 
the legislature to effect the removal of this 
disgraceful stain on the national character. So 
rabid and intolerant is the temper of the south- 
ern people when this question is mooted, and 
so fraught with danger to the union is the agita- 
tion even of the subject, that all discussion is 
shunned and avoided, and the evil hour pro- 
tracted and put off, which will, as surely as that 
the sun shines in the heavens, one day plunge 
the country into a convulsion dreadful to think 
of or anticipate. Meanwhile the plague-spot 
remains: the foul cancer is eating its way; and 
only by its extirpation can the body it dis- 
figures regain its healthfulness and beauty, and 
take its place in the scale of humanity and 



284 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

civilization, from which the loathsome pesti- 
lence has outpaled it. 

As I have said, I notice the subject merely to 
add my humble voice to the cry for humanity's 
sake, which should never cease to stun the ears 
of the unholy men who, in spite of every law 
both human and divine, use their talents, and 
the intellect which God has given them, to 
uphold and perpetuate the curse of slavery. 



CHAPTER XVI 

The Mexican War 

PROCEEDING, on my arrival at St. Louis, 
to an excellent hotel called the Planter's 
House, I that night, for the first time in 
nearly ten months, slept upon a bed, much to 
the astonishment of my limbs and body, which 
long accustomed to no softer mattress than 
mother earth, tossed about all night, unable 
to appreciate the unusual luxury. I found 
chairs a positive nuisance, and in my own room 
caught myself in the act more than once of 
squatting cross-legged on the floor. The 
greatest treat to me was bread : I thought it the 
best part of the profuse dinners of the Planter's 
House, and consumed prodigious quantities of 
the staff of life, to the astonishment of the 
waiters. Forks too I thought were most 
useless superfluities, and more than once I 
found myself on the point of grabbing a tempt- 
ing leg of mutton mountain fashion, and butcher- 
ing off a hunter's mouthful. But what words 
can describe the agony of squeezing my feet 
into boots, after nearly a year of moccasins, 
or discarding my turban for a great boardy hat, 
285 



286 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

which seemed to crush my temples? The 
miseries of getting into a horrible coat — of 
braces, waistcoats, gloves, and all such imple- 
ments of torture — were too acute to be described 
and therefore I draw a veil over them. 

Apart from the bustle attendant upon load- 
ing and unloading thousands and thousands of 
barrels of grain upon the wharf, St. Louis 
appeared to me one of the dullest and most 
commonplace cities of the Union. A great 
proportion of the population consists of French 
and Germans; the former congregating in a 
suburb called Vide Poche,* where they retain a 
few of the characteristics of their lighthearted 
nation, and the sounds of the fiddle and tam- 
bourine may be nightly heard, making the old 
fashioned, tumble-down tenements shake with 
the tread of the merry dancers. The Dutch 
and Germans have their beer-gardens, where 
they imbibe huge quantities of malt and honey- 
dew tobacco; and the Irish their shebeen-shops, 
where Monongahela is quaffed in lieu of the 
"rale crather." 

The town was full of returned volunteers 
from the wars. The twelvemonth's campaign 
they had been engaged in, and the brilliant 
victories achieved by them, which, according 
to the American newspapers, are unparalleled 
in the annals of the world's history, have con- 

* The modern Carondelet (Ed.) 



THE MEXICAN WAR 287 

verted these rowdy and vermin-covered veterans 
into perfect heroes; and every batch on arriving 
is feasted by the pubKc, addresses are offered 
to them, the officers presented with swords 
and snuff-boxes, and honors of all kinds lavished 
upon them in every direction. 

The intense glorifications at St. Louis, and 
in every other part of the United States, on the 
recent successes of their troops over the miser- 
able Mexicans, which were so absurd as to 
cause a broad grin on the face of an unexcited 
neutral, make me recur to the subject of this 
war, which hitherto I have avoided mentioning 
in the body of this little narrative. 

It is scarcely necessary to trace the causes of 
the war at present raging between the two 
republics of North America. The fable of the 
wolf and lamb drinking at the same stream may 
be quoted, to explain to the world the reason 
why the soi-disant champion of liberty has 
quarrelled with its sister state "for muddying 
the water" which the model republic uses to 
quench its thirst. 

A lesson has been read to the citizens of the 
United States which ought to open their eyes 
to the palpable dishonesty of their government, 
their unblushing selfishness, and total disregard 
to the interests of the country, when those of 
themselves or of their party are at stake; and 
although in the present instance President Polk 



288 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

has overreached himself, and raised a storm 
which he would be only too glad to lay at any 
cost, yet, in the whole history of the Mexican 
war, the violence of party and political feeling 
is evident, from the 9th of May, 1846, when the 
first shot was fired at Palo Alto, to the date of 
the last half-score despatches which inform the 
world that General Scott "still remained at 
Puebla," waiting reinforcements. 

It is enough to observe that the immediate 
cause of hostilities was the unjustifiable invasion 
of Mexican territory by the army of the United 
States to take possession of a tract of country 
of which the boundary-line had been disputed 
between the Mexican government and one of 
its revolted states, which had been annexed 
to the American Union before its recognition as 
an independent state by the country from which 
it had seceded. 

There can be no question but that the 
United States had deep cause of complaint 
against Mexico, in the total disregard evinced 
by the latter to the spirit of international 
treaties, and the injuries inflicted upon the 
persons and property of American citizens; all 
redress of which grievances was either totally 
refused, or procrastinated until the parties 
gave up every hope of ultimate compensation. 
The acquisition of Texas, however, was in any 
case a balancing injustice, and should have 



THE MEXICAN WAR 289 

Wiped out all old grievances, at least those of a 
pecuniary nature; while, if a proper spirit of 
conciliation had been evinced on the part of the 
Americans, at the period when the question of 
annexation was being mooted, all danger of a 
rupture would have been removed; and Mexico 
would have yielded her claims to Texas with a 
better grace, if taken as a receipt in full for all 
obligations, than in suffering a large portion of 
her territory to be torn from her, against all 
laws held sacred by civilized nations. 

It is certain that such consequences, as have 
resulted from the advance of the American 
troops from the Nueces to the Rio Grande, 
were never anticipated by the President of the 
United States, whose policy in bringing on a 
quasi crisis of the state affairs on the Mexican 
frontier, and provoking the Mexicans to overt 
acts which could at any moment be converted 
into a casus belli, was not for the sake of terri- 
torial aggrandizement, but for a purpose which, 
it is known to those in the secret of his policy, 
had an object more remote, and infinitely more 
important, than a rupture with the Mexican 
government. 

At that time the position taken up by Mr. 
Polk and his party with regard to the Oregon 
question involved, as a natural consequence, 
the probability of a war with England; nay, 
more, if such position were persisted in, the 



290 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

certainty of a war with that power. That a 
majority of the people, and all the right- 
thinking and influential classes, were opposed 
to such measures as would hazard or produce 
such a rupture, was so palpable that the govern- 
ment was conscious that any proposal for mak- 
ing preparations for a war with England (which 
they knew a perseverance in their policy 
would assuredly bring about) would not be 
favorably received, or even tolerated, and there- 
fore they looked about them for a means of 
attaining their object, by blinding the eyes of 
the people as to their ulterior designs. Mexico 
was made the scapegoat. A war with that 
powerless state would be popular, since its 
duration, it was supposed, could be but for a 
very brief period, the government having no 
resources whatever, and being sadly deficient 
in any of the sinews of war; and, moreover, such 
a war would be likely to flatter the national 
pride and conceit of the American people. 

To bring, therefore, affairs to such a critical 
position on the Texan frontier, that a state of 
war could at any moment be assumed, and its 
imminence be actually very apparent, was the 
stroke of policy by which Polk and his party 
hoped to blind the people, and, profiting by it, 
make such preparations as would enable them 
to carry out their plans in connection with the 
Oregon question and the probable war with 



THE MEXICAN WAR 291 

England. They thought that, even if hostilities 
broke out with Mexico, that power would at 
once succumb; and, in the meantime, that the 
war-fever in the United States would spread, 
and that the people would sanction an increase 
in the army and navy in such a case, which 
could at any time be made available for another 
purpose. 

The first shot fired on the Rio Grande 
changed their views. Until then the Americans 
were in utter ignorance of the state of Mexico 
and the Mexicans. They never anticipated such 
resistance as they have met with; but, judging 
from the moral and physical inferiority of the 
people, at once concluded that all they had to 
do was venire, videre, et vincere. Children in the 
art of war, they imagined that personal bravery 
and physical strength were the only requisites 
for a military people; and that, possessing these 
qualities in as great a degree as the Mexicans 
were deficient in them, the operations in Mexico 
would amount to nothing more arduous than a 
promenade through the table-lands of Anahuac 
— the "Halls of Montezuma," in which it was 
the popular belief that they were destined 
"to revel," being the goal of their military paseo 
of six weeks. 

As soon, however, as the list of killed and 
wounded on the fields of Palo Alto and Resaca 
de la Palma reached Washington, President 



292 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

Polk saw the error into which he had fallen. 
It became evident to him that all the resources 
of the country would be required to carry on 
the war with one of the most feeble powers in 
the world, and that the sooner he pulled his 
foot out of the hot water, which at the tempera- 
ture of 54° 40' was likely to scald him, the better 
for him and his country ; for it naturally occurred 
to him that, if such a scrimmage as the Mexican 
war gave him considerable trouble, an affair 
with such a respectable enemy as England was 
likely to prove anything but an agreeable 
pastime: and hence the very speedy acceptance 
of Lord Aberdeen's ultimatum, and the sudden 
settlement of the Oregon question. 

As affairs now stand, and unless the United 
States very materially modify the conditions 
under which they signify their willingness to 
withdraw from the Mexican territory, and not- 
withstanding the avowedly pacific proposals of 
Commissioner Trist, it is difficult to assign any 
probable period for the termination of the war; 
and it is certain that, as the Mexican armies, 
one after the other, dissolve before the American 
attacks, the farther the latter penetrate 
into the country, the greater are the difficulties 
which they will have to surmount. Harassed 
by hordes of guerrillas, with a long line of 
country in their rear admirably adapted by 
nature for the system of warfare pursued by 



THE MEXICAN WAR 293 

irregular troops, and through which all supplies 
have to pass, to defeat an army is but to in- 
crease the conqueror's difficulties, since, while 
before they had one tangible enemy in their 
front, now they are surrounded by swarms of 
hornets, who never run the risk of defeat by 
standing the brunt of a regular engagement. 

Neither have the invariable and signal 
defeats the Mexicans have met with the same 
moral effect which such reverses have amongst 
more civilized nations. They take them as 
matters of course, and are not dispirited; while, 
on the other hand, the slightest success instils 
new life and energy into their hearts. Until 
the whole country is occupied by American 
troops, the war, unless immediately concluded, 
will be carried on, and will eventually become 
one of conquest. But, in the meantime, the 
expenses it entails upon the treasury of the 
United States are enormous, and hourly in- 
creasing; and it would seem that the amount of 
compensation for the expenses of the war, which, 
in money or territory, is a sine qua non in the 
peace proposals of the American commissioner, 
is consequently increasing pari passu^ and 
therefore the settlement of the question becomes 
more difficult and uncertain. 

It is extremely doubtful if the Mexican people 
will consent to a surrender of nearly one-third 
of their territory, which will most probably be 



294 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

required as compensation for the expenses of 
the war, or, what is the same thing, be demanded 
as a security for the payment of a certain sum of 
money; and whether they will not rather prefer 
war to the knife to the alternative of losing their 
nationality. In reality, this war does them 
little harm. They were in such a state of misery 
and anarchy before it commenced, and have 
been for so long a period tyrannized over by the 
republican despots who have respectively held 
the reins of power, that no change could pos- 
sibly make their condition more degraded; and 
the state of confusion and misrule attendant 
upon the war in such a country as Mexico is so 
congenial to the people, that, from my own 
observations, I believe them to be adverse, 
even on this account alone, to the termination of 
hostilities. Moreover, the feeling against the 
Americans, which was at first mere apathy, has 
increased to the bitterest hatred and animosity, 
and is sufficient in itself to secure the popular 
support to the energetic prosecution of the war: 
and the consciousness of the justice of their 
cause, and the injustice of the unprovoked 
aggression on the part of the United States, 
ought, and I have no doubt will, keep alive one 
spark of that honor which prompts a people to 
resent and oppose a wilful and wanton attack 
on their liberties and nationality. 



CHAPTER XVII 

Men and Manners 

AFTER a stay of a few days in St. Louis, 
in order to rig myself out in civilized 
attire, I went on board a steamboat 
bound for the Illinois River and Peoria, intend- 
ing to cross the prairies of Illinois to Chicago, 
and thence down the Canadian lakes to New 
York. 

This river is more picturesque than the 
Missouri or Mississippi; the banks higher, the 
water clearer, and the channel dotted with 
pretty islands, between which the steamboat 
passes, almost brushing the timber on the 
banks. At Peoria we were transferred to stage- 
coaches, and, suffering a martyrdom of shaking 
and bad living on the road — if road it can be 
called — we arrived at last at Chicago — the city, 
that is to be, of the Lakes, and which may be 
termed the City of Magnificent Intentions. 

Chigago, or Chicago, is situated at the south- 
western corner of Lake Michigan, and on the 
lake-shore. In spite of the pasteboard ap- 
pearance of its houses, churches, and public 
edifices, all of wood, it is a remarkably pretty 
295 



296 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

town, its streets wide and well laid out; and it 
will, doubtless, after it has been burned down 
once or twice, and rebuilt of stone or brick, be 
one of the finest of the western cities. It has 
several excellent hotels, some of which are of 
gigantic dimensions, a theatre, court-house, and 
an artificial harbor, constructed at the expense 
of the city. 

An American stage-coach has often been 
described: it is a huge lumbering affair with 
leathern springs, and it creaks and groans over 
the corduroy roads and unmacadamized cause- 
ways, thumping, bumping, and dislocating the 
limbs of its **insides," whose smothered shrieks 
and exclamations of despair often cause the 
woodsman to pause from his work, and, leaning 
upon his axe, listen with astonishment to the 
din which proceeds from its convulsed interior. 

The coach contains three seats, each of which 
accommodates three passengers; those on the 
centre, and the three with their backs to the 
horses, face each other, and, from the confined 
space, the arrangement and mutual convenience 
of leg-placing not infrequently leads to fierce 
outbreaks of ire, A fat old lady got into the 
coach at Peoria, whose uncompromising rotun- 
dity and snappishness of temper, combined 
with a most unaccommodating pair of "limbs" 
(legs, on this side the Atlantic), rendered her 
the most undesirable vis-a-vis a traveler could 



MEN AND MANNERS 297 

possibly be inflicted with. The victim happened 
to be an exceedingly mild Hoosier, whose 
modest bashfulness prevented his remonstrating 
against the injustice of the proceeding! but, 
after unmitigated sufferings for fifty miles, 
borne with Christian resignation, he disap- 
peared from the scene of his martyrdom, and 
his place was occupied by a hard-featured New- 
Yorker, the captain of one of the Lake steam- 
boats, whose sternness of feature and apparent 
determination of purpose assured us that he had 
been warned of the purgatory in store for him, 
and was resolved to grapple gallantly with the 
difficulty. As he took his seat, and bent his 
head to the right and left over his knees, looking, 
as it were, for some place to bestow his legs, 
an ominous silence prevailed in the rocking 
coach, and we all anxiously awaited the result 
of the attack which this bold man was evidently 
meditating; the speculations being as to whether 
the assault would be made in the shape of a 
mild rebuke, or a softly-spoken remonstrance 
and request for a change of posture. 

Our skipper evidently imagined that his pan- 
tomimic indications of discomfort would have 
had a slight effect, but when the contrary was the 
result, and the uncompromising knees wedged 
him into the corner, his face turned purple with 
emotion, and, bending towards his tormentor, 
he solemnly exclaimed — "I guess, marm, it's 



298 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

got to be done anyhow sooner or later, so you 
and I, marm, must jist 'dovetail.' " 

The lady bounded from her seat, aghast at 
the mysterious proposal. 

"Must what, sir— r.?" 

"Dovetail, marm; you and I have got to dove- 
tail, and no two ways about it." 

"Dovetail me, you inhuman savage!" she 
roared out, shaking her fist in the face of the 
skipper, who shrank, alarmed, into his corner; 
"dovetail a lone woman in a Christian country! 
if thar's law on airth, sir-r, and in the state of 
lUinoy, I'll have you hanged! 

"Driver, stop the coach," she shrieked from 
the window; "I go no farther with this man. I 
believe I ar' a free 'ooman, and my name is 
Peck. Young man," she pathetically exclaimed 
to the driver, who sought to explain matters, 
whilst we, inside, were literally convulsed with 
laughter, "my husband shall larn of this, as 
shiure as shiooting. Open the door, I say, and 
let me out!" And, spite of all our expostula- 
tions, she actually left the coach and sought 
shelter in a house at the road-side; and we heard 
her, as we drove off, muttering "Dovetail me, 
will they? the Injine savages! if ther's law in 
Illinoy, I'll have him hanged!" 

It is unnecessary to say that "dovetailing" 
is the process of mutually accommodating 
each other's legs followed by stage-coach and 



MEN AND MANNERS 299 

omnibus passengers; but the term — certainly 
the first time I had ever heard it used in that 
sense — shocked and alarmed the modesty of the 
worthy Mrs. Peck of Illinoy. 

A canal is in course of construction in the 
State of Illinois, to connect the waters of the 
lakes with the Mississippi — a gigantic under- 
taking, but one which will be of the greatest 
benefit to the western country. When this 
canal is completed, the waters of Lake Superior 
will, therefore, communicate with the Gulf of 
Mexico by way of the Mississippi, as they do 
already with the North Atlantic by means of 
the Welland and Rideau canals, which pass 
through Canada; and, even already, vessels have 
been spoken in mid-ocean, built on Lakes 
Michigan and Huron, cleared from Chicago, 
and bound for England, passing an inland 
navigation of upwards of three thousand miles. 

Leaving Chicago, I crossed the lake to Kal- 
amazoo, whence I "railed" across the Michigan 
peninsula to Detroit, the chief city of the State 
of Michigan. This railroad was a very primi- 
tive affair, with but one line of rails, which, in 
very many places, were entirely divested of the 
iron, and in these spots the passengers were 
requested to "assist" the locomotive over the 
"bad places." However, after killing several 
hogs and cows, we arrived safe enough at 
Detroit. 



300 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

I remarked that, since a former visit to the 
United States, three or four years ago, there 
had been a very palpable increase in the feeling 
of jealousy and dislike to England and every- 
thing British which has very generally charac- 
terized the free and enlightened citizens from 
the affair of Lexington to the present time. I 
must, however, do them the justice to declare, 
that in no one instance have I ever perceived 
that feeling evinced towards an individual; but 
it exists most assuredly as a national feeling, 
and is exhibited in the bitterest and most 
uncompromising spirit in all their journals, and 
the sayings and doings of their public men. 
Thus, in travelling through the United States, 
an Englishman is perpetually hearing his 
country and its institutions abused. Every- 
thing he admires is at once seized upon, to be 
tortured into a comparison with the same thing 
in England. But what is more amusing is, 
that it is a very general belief that, from the 
Queen down to the gruel-stirrer in Marylebone 
workhouse, everybody's time is occupied w^ith 
the affairs of the United States, and all their 
pleasures turned to gall and wormwood by the 
bitter envy they feel at her well-being and pros- 
perity. 

In passing down the lakes, I took a passage 
from Detroit to Buffalo in a Canadian steamer, 
which, by-the-by, was the most tastefully 



MEN AND MANNERS 301 

decorated and best-managed boat on the lake. 
As we passed through the Detroit River, which 
connects Lakes Erie and St. Clair, we had a 
fine view of the Canadian as well as the Amer- 
ican shore; and the contrast between the 
flourishing settlements and busy cities of the 
latter, and the quaint, old-fashioned villages 
of the French Canadians, was certainly suffi- 
ciently striking. As the boat passed Maiden, 
celebrated as being the scene of stirring events 
in the Indian wars, and the more recent one of 
1812, I ascended, spite of the burning sun, to 
the upper deck, in order to obtain a view of 
the shore, which at this point, where the river 
enters the lake, is very picturesque and beauti- 
ful. I found a solitary passenger seated on the 
roof, which was red hot with the burning rays 
of the sun, squirting his tobacco-juice fast and 
furiously, and with his eyes bent on the shore, 
and a facetious and self-satisfied grin on his 
lank, sallow countenance. His broad-brimmed 
brown beaver hat, with dishevelled nap, suit of 
glossy black, including a shining black satin 
waistcoat, of course proclaimed him to be a 
citizen. Waving his hand towards the Canada 
shore, he asked me in a severe tone, — 

"What do you call this, sir? Is this the land 
of the Queen of England, sir?" 

"Well, I guess it ain't nothin else," answered, 
for me, the pilot of the boat. "But," he con- 



302 WILD LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

tinued, "it ain't a going to be so much longer." 

"Longer, sir !" quoth my severe interrogator; 
"too long by half has that unfortunate country 
been oppressed by British tyrants. Look thar, 
sir," waving his arm towards the opposite shore; 
"thar's a sight, sir, where a man can look up to 
G — A'mighty's heavens, and bless him for 
having made him a citizen of the f/nited 
States!" 

"A fine country," I observed; "there's no 
doubt of it." 

"A fine country, sir! the first country in the 
world, sir; and feeds the starving English with 
what it can't consume itself, sir. The phil- 
anthropy of our country" (he took me for a 
citizen) "flies on the wings of the wind, sir, and 
bears to the hungry slaves of the Queen of 
England, corn, sir, and bread-doin's of every 
description. Yes, sir! and to show them, sir, 
that we can feed 'em with one hand and whip 
'em with the other, we send it over in a ship of 
war, which once carried their flag, until it was 
lowered to the flag of freedom. I allude, sir" 
(turning to me), "to the frigate 'Macedonian,' 
and the stars and stripes of our national banner." 

This speech, delivered in the most pompous 
manner, and with exuberant gesture, was too 
much for my gravity, and I exploded in an 
immoderate fit of laughter. 

"Laugh, sir," he resumed, "pray laugh. I 



MEN AND MANNERS 303 

perceive you are not a nsitwe, and your country- 
men had ort to laugh without loss of time; for 
soon, sir, will their smile of triumph be turned 
to a howl of despair, when Liberty treads to the 
earth your aristocracy — your titled lords, and 
the star-spangled banner waves over Windsor 
Palace." Saying which, and squirting over the 
deck a shower of tobacco-spray, he turned 
magnificently away. 

"A smart man that, stranger," said the pilot 
to me, giving the wheel a spoke to port — 
"one of the smartest men in these parts." 
This I easily believed. 

We had the misfortune to damage a part of 
the machinery just after entering Lake Erie, 
and were compelled to wait until another 
steamboat made her appearance, and towed 
us back to Detroit, where it took twenty-four 
hours to repair damages. 

From Buffalo I travelled by railroad to Al- 
bany, on the Hudson, and, descending that 
magnificent river, reached New York early 
in July, in eight travelling days from St. Louis, 
a distance of — I am afraid to say how many 
thousand miles. 

From New York the good ship New World 
carried me and a dozen fellow-passengers, 
spite of contrary winds, in thirty days to Liver- 
pool, where I arrived, sin novedad, some time 
in the middle of August, 1847. 



OUTING 
A D VEN TUR E 
LIBRARY 

Edited by Horace Kephart 

Q Here are brought together for the first time the great stories of 
adventure of all ages and countries. These are the personal records 
of the men who climbed the mountains and penetrated the jungles; 
who explored the seas and crossed the deserts; who knew the 
chances and took them, and lived to write their own tales of hard- 
ship and endurance and achievement. The series will consist of 
an indeterminate number of volumes — for the stories are myriad. 
The whole will be edited by Horace Kephart. Each volume 
answers the test of these two questions : Is it true ? Is it interesting? 
€1 The entire series is uniform in style and binding. Among the 
titles now ready or in preparation are those described on the fol 
lowing pages. 

PRICE $1.00 EACH, NET. POSTAGE 10 CENTS EXTRA 
THE NUMBERS MAKE ORDERING CONVENIENT 

1. IN THE OLD WEST, by George Frederick 
Ruxton. The men who blazed the trail across the Rockies to the 
Pacific were the independent trappers and hunters in the days 
before the Mexican war. They left no records of their adventures 
and most of them linger now only as shadowy names. But a young 
Englishman lived among them for a time, saw life from their point 
of view, trapped with them and fought with them against the 
Indians. That was George Frederick Ruxton. His story is our 
only complete picture of the Old West in the days of the real 
Pioneers, of Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, Bill Williams, the Sublettes, 
and all the rest of that glorious company of the forgotten who 
opened the West. 



2. CASTAWAYS AND CRUSOES, Since the begin, 
nings of navigation men have faced the dangers of shipwreck 
and starvation. Scattered through the annals of the sea are the 
stories of those to whom disaster came and the personal records of 
the way they met it. Some of them are given in this volume, narra- 
tives of men who lived by their hands among savages and on forlorn 
coasts, or drifted helpless in open boats. They range from the 
South Seas to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, from the iron coast of Pata- 
gonia to the shores of Cuba. They are echoes from the days when 
the best that could be hoped by the man who went to sea was hard- 
ship and man's-sized work. 

3. CAPTIVES AMONG THE INDIANS. First of all 

is the story of Captain James Smith, who was captured by the Dela- 
wares at the time of Braddock's defeat, was adopted into the tribe, 
and for four years lived as an Indian, hunting with them, studying 
their habits, and learning their point of view. Then there is the 
story of Father Bressani who felt the tortures of the Iroquois, of 
Mary Rowlandson who was among the human spoils of King 
Philip's war, and of Mercy Harbison who suffered in the red flood 
that followed St. Clair's defeat. All are personal records made by 
the actors themselves in those days when the Indian was constantly 
at our forefathers's doors. 



4. FIRST THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON, by 

Major John Wesley Powell. Major Powell was an officer in the 
Union Army who lost an arm at Shiloh. In spite of this four years 
after the war he organized an expedition which explored the Grand 
Canyon of the Colorado in boats— the first to make this journey. His 
story has been lost for years in the oblivion of a scientific report. 
It is here rescued and presented as a record of one of the great 
personal exploring feats, fitted to rank with the exploits of Pike, 
Le^vis and Clark, and Mackenzie. 

5. ADRIFT IN THE ARCTIC ICE-PACK, By 

Elisha Kent Kane, M. D. Out of the many expeditions that 
went north in search of Sir John Franklin over fiity years ago, it fell 
to the lot of one, financed by a New York merchant, to spend an 
Arctic winter drifting aimlessly in the grip of the Polar ice in Lan- 
caster Sound. The siu-geon of the expedition kept a careful diary 
and out of that record told the first complete story of a Far Northern 
winter. That story is here presented, shorn of the purely scientific 
data and stripped to the personal exploits and adventui;es of the 
author and the other members of the crew. 



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